Was it really that bad? :lol:

Keeper did well but it really should've been put away. Caught offside a couple of times so the manager probably lost patience. He's only returning to match fitness though so it's not the end of the world.

Reminds me of how i play Fifa 13 :lol:

Holman on against Norwich.

I'm not saying he still shouldn't be called up - he's certainly worth a closer look within a squad/camp and even making the bench. Due a shot in a friendly too - though on that, so are 1-2 others, though he's prob top of the list!

But he's far from instant starting material, more than I presumed and I doubt I'm only one. Most calling for him haven't seen him in action much and in my case I only saw the Cup game against Wigan, where he was solid at LB, overlapped and put in a good cross and also longed it a couple times.

You have to admit that's NOT a good disciplinary record, especially as that's 'achieved' in an already renowned rough and ready league where the refereeing leash is looser than the likes of continental Europe, let alone our qualifiers. I sounded harsh before, but these are still the facts.


BTW Watched Villa's game just now, where they won over Norwich. Their young LB, Joe Bennett, gave away a very silly penalty. Just beaten on the turn, edge of the box, the boy was clinging onto Holt and continued to do so, into the box. As soon as the striker entered the box, he fell and easy penalty call. Bennett should've been tactically smarter, but he's young and should learn. Wasn't the first time though - The expert commentator said Villa's 'young defence' had been doing these silly, naive, mistakes all season.

But, on paper, he's a boy who's played some 20 odd or more games for Villa at LB this season, after transferring from 'boro, where he had already played some 90 odd games. He's 23 now, I think.

So he's playing a higher level than Lowry and with a slightly more substantive career record, yet even at the higher level, just dumb mistakes, the kind which could cost you a game and qualification at international level. Infact it cost Villa the well earnt away lead, but luckily Villa struck back late to retake the lead and win. If you were watching it and were a Villa fan, you'd be filthy and x that by a thousand if that were a LB for the Socceroos!

Not saying Lowry is like that defensively, he may not make such mistakes, then again, who knows? But he obviously gives away a few fouls and draws alot of cards. He's Millwall too - has to be a rough and ready player. Even with Millwall, next coming season, he knows he will have to work on that.

Edited by GloryPerth: 5/5/2013 03:41:55 AM

Was live in the stadium today and honestly I only noticed Ruka once he was subbed off. The replays show the 1 on 1 chance. Otherwise pretty quiet. Kruse went down in Frankfurt and they're really under pressure now.

I watched half an hour of Kruse and he was quite quiet too. Ruka was good defensively kinda Brett Holman like caused a couple of chances but he got so few touches of the ball. To be fair though he was making dangerous runs but they weren't picked up. Even still I think he needs to lift his game significantly.

Another massive Saturday around the globe for the Aussies in the best OS wrap available http://osaussies.com/saturday-wrap-30/

VOR ,just wondering if you know the situation with Curtis goods injury ? . Will he be available for the 20s world cup ?

Jon Brady, it looks like he's going to do it again!

Winning 4-2 on Agg, best of luck to him.

Cahill back in form when we need it most hopefully ruka gets a few starts in a row

Loungo half a chance for a call up ?

You do know Osieck is the coach, don't you?

Dylan McGowan seems to be doing well. Ryan killing it in China, hope he goes back to Europe soon.

And gave the ball away with pretty well every touch he had. Cant see him at the Villa next season.

Huge game for Leckie at 9:30pm v Kaiserslautern. A win puts them in the promotion play-off spot with a 2 further games remaining.

Hopefully Rogic starts for Celtic tonight. He was one of their best players last time.

Wilkshire starting for Dynamo. 19 degrees, drinks break on 25'. :lol:

Rogic on the bench again, pretty hard for him to build any consistency :roll:

Oar out injured again?

Edited by JayEss: 5/5/2013 08:32:40 PM

He's been killing it in the MLS the past few weeks.

-PB

The Celtic move is already looking like a mistake. He's hardly playing, when he does get on the pitch he's out of position and the SPL is a horse shit league with little time for technical players to develop.

Hopefully things improve for him, we need the too.

Yeah, there's speculation that Holman will be one of the casualties - not happy with not being a regular and was a signing of 'the previous regime' anyway. And as part of Villa's continued cost cutting and Lambert's favouring of youth and dynamism, prime-aged Holman is an above average earner they're likely to trim. Though in saying that, he's far from the biggest and a number of those are also on the outer at Villa.

Good to see Lambert may seek to clear some of them out - McLeish and his regime was a blight since the announcement. Only good thing was he signed 'our Holman' but goodness - Hutton, what a bad recruitment and the over-rated, big fail, that is N'Zogbia. And for some reason the under-utilisation/constant loan out of Houllier's signing, Makoun, started under McLeish.

This blog/article suggests who will depart and I agree with all of the suggestions, bar Holman - due to 'parochialism over Villa's interests,' reasons. :p

http://www.ftbpro.com/posts/crippy.cooke/139754/who-will-be-leaving-aston-villa-this-summer





Unfortunately you may be right. We were all hoping it'd be a good 'transitional team', spend a season or two most there, impress, and EPL, Bundesliga or where ever comes calling.

But if Celtic don't utilise him enough, properly or both, then he's hardly going to 'impress' well not to a level to attract the even bigger clubs.

But flipside, atleast he is having to improve other parts of his game, like workrate and defensive qualities to make him a better rounded player. He's a big guy and so naturally coaches in a variety of leagues, would consider utilising him 'deeper' or 'out of position.' And 'good players' can play well just about anywhere, and he will surely do so at Celtic.

So hopefully things improve, indeed, but same time, given it's early in his spell, signs are already quite promising really. He's started a couple matches in a row, so coach sees something, and 'the more he starts, the more he's likely to start'!



lol though btw, what position does Wilks play with Dynamo? I can't remember if it's RB or DM/CM? Has he played both there? :?

Edited by GloryPerth: 5/5/2013 10:11:04 PM

Pretty much exclusively RB

Leckie starting. Nice dribble, cops a kick to the thigh and a stomp on the head. No free kick...

You got a problem with that? [-(

Poor call from ref. Anyways game is on and Leckie is getting stuck in.

ffs Frankfurt lift!

GUYS - Caught some of the Celtic game, it's against Ross County, right? NO ROGIC?! Not starting anyway, so I didn't think it worth the download.

Frustrating!

Guess he can only keep trying. Contract is 3 seasons, right? Hopefully some keen eyed coach in a bigger league spots something in him, this season or next.

It may take his impressions via the NT to do so, as we're seen so many other players secure better moves via impressive NT stints. It's just up to Holger to try him.

The two home World Cup qualifiers - he NEEDS to be utilised there, atleast via sub! NEEDS TO BE!

Frankfurt down 4-0 at HT. Leckie unable to do much. Looks like they'll miss the play-off.

I thought they still had two more games left? or is this a must win?