I know I'll probably get slammed by a few for that statement but I really think our team has a lot more to offer than what we've had in the last few matches. At Everton, I thought we were unlucky, but still should have won, at Wolves we were poor and should never have conceded twice, at Tottenham were run ragged and players looked tired, at Fulham we were just plain unexciting and at QPR it was only a brilliant three man change and some idiocy from Arch-k***end NW that we won. We've looked without many ideas, Hoolahan when he came on put in a couple of good balls for Jackson, but others looked like they were going through the motions. Our best and most dangerous player was Pilkington, and i think it's key that he has been rested (or dropped) for a while, bizarrely even made teamTalk's team of this quarter: http://www.teamtalk.com/aston-villa/7405783/TEAMtalk-s-top-Prem-performers-part-2-? It's clear to me that our best players in terms of creating goals, like Hoolahan, Pilkington and Fox, even Bennett, are essential to have on top form. I dont think we need more of them, i think they just need a good rest. Even though we have just been praised for the strength in depth: http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,,16514_7407442,00.html - and the players that have been rotated in have stepped up impressively (crofts, johnson, Surman and now even Lappin), theyre not where we win the game in terms of actually putting the ball in the back of the neck. It's quite clear the Christmas schedule has taken it's toll- Morison looked absolutely knackered against Fulham better against QPR, but other players too. We can see a few more injuries creeping in with Tierney out and I assume Surman as Lappin was called up last minute. For this reason I think there are three things to say- - Picking up points when playing badly is the sign of a very good team, and that is exactly what we have done since the Newcastle victory. I don't mind winning playing badly, thouh obviously would like to see us play good football - Although the squad has been incredible over the first half of the season, we do need a couple of signings just to give some fresh ideas, not necessarily to just hold down a starting position (as PL would say "to help out the lads") - This FA cup match leaves us a bit of a problem. Our record is not great in the cup, so it would be nice to get a run, however, I think our entire first team needs a well earned break. I think we've got enough quality in reserve to beat Burnley, but I won't be too worried if we get turned over. I think it would be better to play a second team, than scrap a win with a tired first team, who then are worse off for the second half of the season. If we get through this round with a second team, I'd be quite happy to see our strongest team for the next FA cup tie.
i do sort of agree. i don't think we've played at our free-flowing best for a while but its that middle third of the season where pitches are a bit ropey and players are playing two or three games a week. its the nitty gritty and we need to keep bashing out results because before we know it, it'll be april! performances tend to drop at this time and pick up again towards the end of the season. freshening up the squad will help and it'll pick the current players up to go again too. the fact we aren't anywhere near our best but are still sitting in 9th position is something to be very pleased with
Regarding the FA Cup, IMO we can't afford to do anything other than put out a reserve reserve side. It won't go down well with a lot of fans, but neither will being back in the Championship next year. The time to start taking the Cup competitions seriously is when we are well established in the Premier League, and confident that we will finish the season without relegation worries -- much like the present crop of established mid-table teams such as Villa, Fulham, Everton, Stoke, etc.
I am intrigued by the tiredness argument. For two days running we have had foreign managers moaning about the Xmas fixture list. Especially when they have dropped points. If you don't like or fixtures, our tradition of playing around Bank Holidays then go and manage somewhere else. Premiership teams have squads of 25+ and have no excuse for tiredness. In most games 2 or 3 only play an hour! I accept that the travelling is probably a hastle and boring but its not on public transport is it. Good form is always going to be hard to keep up. Any sportsmen, pro and amateur, loses his form from time to time and it must be difficult to maintain that if you're not playing regularly. Spurs gave us the run around with a flawless performance yet next game they made terrible mistakes especially the keeper. A game earlier and we might have got something from the same mistakes. But with a big squad of players all on good money, it is easy to see why managers "rest" players. If Morison has a poor game, he must expect to be replaced by Holt or Jackson. But the temptation must be to "not change a winning team" for a team like us. Man City might well be tempted to rest Aguero against a bottom club. But would we play neither Holt or Morison?
I agree we're not playing as well as we were when we won 3/4 then drew at anfield, but we're still picking up points which is brilliant news hopefully one more decent run of form such as the one we saw earlier in the year and it should take us close to the 40 point mark.
Tiredness is not just a matter of physical effort, keeping running etc. I think it's as much if not more to do with the mental effort, the sheer concentration needed, the alertness to positioning and reading the game, the need to be in the right place at the right time, and know where your colleagues are and what's in their minds. A top level game of football is a far cry from e.g. marathon running. You hear it said that today's players are paid plenty and trained to super-fitness and tiredness shouldn't be an issue. But that completely ignores the draining mental side of playing at a high level.
i think its very reassuring that we are still picking up points when we look less inspired than usual on the ball. We run the furthest of any team in the league, and i can't count the number of times someone has made a points saving clearance off the line. We have proven that we have a strategy that can contain most of the teams around us, and that gives us a platform to win from. That said, we now need to work on plan C. It can't be enough to run the wings and fight for the headers all the time. This will get less effective as the season runs on, and our defence can't solely rely on super human feats of effort and stamina. I'm sure lambert will sign new players to help with this though, and if Jackson can find some form and Vaughan's legs hold up they could help form that 3rd approach.
I've run enough marathons Robbie to know its even more of a mental problem than having it in your legs. Eddie Izzard proved you can run a marathon every day but having the mental capacity to run a good marathon every day is totally different.
I accept that Redruth, and apologise to all marathon runners! I used that comparison just as a way of getting my more general point about the true nature of fatigue/tiredness across. Mind you, just imagine having to run a marathon once, or twice, and sometimes three times, a week from mid-August to May while being expected to perform at your very best every time .......
According to the current form table we are 9th.So if we are playing badly it's not being reflected in the results.I think QPR would like to be in our position,2 points from 24.
Just one point I don't understand about this tiredness thing caused by too many games and too much travelling. Why is it that if one of the top clubs who regularly moan about such things get a week off ( e.g. because they have been knocked out of the FA Cup ) they immediately arrange a ( money making? ) friendly somewhere such as Dubai?
too true!! to be honest, players would rather play a match than train anyway so although tiredness is a factor due to the intensity, i think its certainly rich for some managers to blame defeats on tiredness - you should have used your squad better, like lambert has done.
.....though i am not a real tenis fan i am sometimes in awe of the fitness levels in the mens game. to win a major title they have to perform 7 times in two weeks and a tough match can last over 4 hours with no time to coast. makes some footballers seem under used.
I was actually agreeing with you Robbie. The mental side of anything is taken for granted. Getting up at 6am to go to work as opposed to lying in bed and letting the state provide is a mental attitude. Standing over a 3ft putt to win a golf match is as much about mental strength as ability. And training for a marathon is all about the mentality of going out and doing it after a days work or at 5am or spoiling your weekend because you have to put in a 20 miler when the family want to do something else. We all go on about players and how they should perform and most of it is fair comment but we do tend to forget they have families, worries, illnesses etc the same as we do. If the wife is giving them grief before a match I guess the concentration is put to the test. And I guess the guys who are on the fringe of the team just wanting a chance to impress so their contract is renewed or else its off to Rochdale must be under enormous pressure.
