Looking Forward

"We are excited. We are looking forward." Ron Vlaar

Aston Villa's season ended with a 2-2 draw against relegated side Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. Skipper Ron Vlaar with the touch and shot of a lethal centre forward sealed the final point of the campaign for the claret and blues. Eight weeks later, we're now looking forward to the new season just thirty days away. After a week in Germany, we've had the chance to see the six new players in action and some of the youths getting a run out.

In between this time there has been a lot happening behind the scenes. With Westwood, Guzan, Weimann and Baker all tied up with new deals, we were just waiting on one; Christian Benteke. Yet that wasn't and isn't to be the case, with the Belgium handing in his transfer request, pushing for a move to Tottenham Hostspur. But, let's just leave that to discuss later, let's focus on the positives to have come from the closed season.

Ashley Westwood; a star of the 2012-13 season signed a new contract to stay with Aston Villa until 2017. We all know contracts mean nothing nowadays but it always gives me a sense of relief when a player is willing to sign another contract in order to stay with us. Especially as Westwood provided us with a stability in midfield last season. After Stiliyan Petrov had to sadly step down from football to focus on beating his illness, we needed a midfielder to step up to the mark to try to fill the gap left in the middle of the park. With his maturity, composure and strength on the ball and in tackles, Ashley Westwood was one of the signings of the summer. Making the step up from League One, many supporters had doubts on his ability to perform on the main stage of English football, yet he proved his critics wrong with ease. He has continued to impress throughout the season and the stats go all in his favour.

Ashley Westwood (v Norwich City) (source: avfc.co.uk)

Andreas Weimann; one of my personal favourites, not just for his looks. The Austrian crept into the limelight with his match winning goal against Fulham under the management of Alex McLeish, but since then he has re-payed every penny of the faith both McLeish and Paul Lambert have given him. He performed consistently last season, scoring twelve goals in all competitions. His natural goal scoring ability has made him a hero in some fans eyes, yet he doesn't just score goals, he can also do the assisting. He not only produces the goods on the pitch, he produces loyalty of the pitch with him also signing a new contract just a few weeks ago.

Andi Weimann

Brad Guzan; the best goalkeeper last season hands down. Despite what everyone else says Brad Guzan failed to disappoint with him impressing in every game he played. After playing understudy for who knows how long, he finally received his chance after Lambert resigned him; and what a signing he turned out to be. Save after save, Guzan just continued to shine.

After the first three games of preseason we have seen the six new players in action in a competitive situation, and after the mischief caused by Benteke we were all hoping that one man would shine. And Helenius did just that.

Scoring two goals in three games, the giant from Denmark, showed us what he's made of. It's not everyday that you can potentially lose a player and have a ready made replacement already scoring goals left, right and centre. At twenty two years of age, he fits in the with direction of football Lambert is developing. Young, hungry and ambitious. Not only can he score with his head, his ability with his feet looks effortless. Teeing up teammates as well as scoring is also another attribute of the Dane. If he can settle into the Premier League like he has with the team, I don't have any reason to think that he won't be a big hit at Aston Villa.

Leandro Bacuna (Getty Images)

So who do I look forward to seeing next season?

Leandro Bacuna; pacey, quick and a crosser of the ball, he looks the part of an up and coming winger that we have been lacking at the club since Ashley Young departed to Old Trafford. I'm not saying he is going to be like Young, far from it, but he will add an extra dimension to the way we could paly under Lambert this term. Alongside Tonev and Albrighton who seems to be willing, we have enough options to try and exploit the wide areas next year and threaten some shaky left and right backs.

Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood and Andi Weimann are all ones to watch this season. Are they going to be able to continue their outstanding form from last season into this one?

Also, just look out for Sylla, he might surprise you.

There are plenty of players that are now buying into Lambert's philosophy which have the potential to become unique players, with an intelligent style. However, we're not to know until the 17th August.

On a slightly damper tone, Christian Benteke. Benteke was always destined for great things and you would never want to deprive him of that. But to attempt to force a move away from Villa Park just over 10 months into a four-year contract is hugely disheartening for all involve at the club. Despite the speculation, many thought that he would still be here in September. The only way he would leave is if he demanded a move away, like he did at Genk. Surely that wouldn't happen, we all thought. Not after everything the club has done for him, the confidence Paul Lambert has shown in him and the emotion the fans have given to him. One more season with the club is all we hoped for, as a show of gratitude if anything else. In the system we played, he was always going to be the focal point. As a lone striker given the task of scoring goals, he was never not going to be the hero. He was always going to be the player we were "dependent" on, as the stats showed. Aston Villa is here now and it's here to stay, which is more than can be said for Benteke. Aston Villa is still standing and will strive to further itself under Lambert's bright leadership. No player is bigger than the club after all and naturally, as one door closes, another opens; be it for Nicklas Helenius, Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann or whoever else may be brought it. So whilst thanking him for the memories and goals last season and wishing him the best of luck at his new club, whoever they may be, it is done with both eyes firmly on the future. His transfer request to leave the club might indeed be sad, although not because we're losing such an influential cog in the wheel. No player is irreplaceable.

Loyalty in football is fiction, yet the club will forever live on.

February Poster Player of the Month; Brad Guzan

Poster player of the month is the player that will appear each month at the top of my blog. 

 

 

Brad Guzan

Returning to Aston Villa last summer, the American between the Villa sticks has provided top notch saves and the pride of a lion heart.

 

The USA international signed a three year deal in July 2012 after being released by the former management in charge last season. His aim and accomplishment being to claim the number 1 jersey off Shay Given. With the admiration of both Paul Lambert and our hard to please fans, he has not only won that jersey but also received the good words from the Villa Park faithful.

 

 

Two seasons ago Guzan made his first big impression. Two notable performances in two cups saw the keeper make a name for himself in claret and blue.

 

Heart of a lion.

The Chicago born stopper saved two penalties in the Peace Cup against favourable opposition Juventus as Villa triumphed the Italian giants in a thrilling penalty shoot out to lift the pre season trophy.

 

However, you could say that was surpassed in October 2009, when Guzan went on to be a hero in another penalty high pressure situation.

 

This time it was the Black Cats, Sunderland in the League Cup which saw Villa through to the next round. Not only did he save a penalty in the 90 minutes, he then went to save another three in the shoot out.

 

Other than his cup matches, his way into the Premier League was always blocked off by Brad Frediel, his fellow American. Because of this he saw this season through on the bench, and followed the next season under Gerard Houllier on loan to Hull City. He returned to Villa in April after two successful spells up in Hull.

 

Despite Alex McLeish purchasing Shay Given in the summer of 2011 after the departure of Frediel to Tottenham Hotspur, Brad Guzan made the step up to the Premier League over the Christmas period when the Irishman had an eight match injury lay off.

 

This season, Guzan has been one of the few shining lights. He has made his mark and has producing some sublime saves to not only keep us in some games but keep our dignity in some matches.

 

And Brad's right, we don't have to play Barcelona type football, we just need the wins, the three points. He's not just the type of goalkeeper that is gonna sit back and think he's already done the job at hand, he's gonna fight. Just like the rest of them need to, no matter what position you play. Whether you're a keeper, or just sitting on the bench, every member of that team has a job to do. Installing that belief and having that bit of passion has made Guzan become a hero in my eyes, it's not just because of what he does on the pitch. 

2012; A Year Of Mixed Emotions

After Stan Collymore tweeted earlier asking fans for their moments of the year, I decided that this would be my next post for all you to have a look at.

Captain Fantasic; Stan Petrov scoring in the 3-1 victory
over Chelsea on New Year's Eve

The year 2012 was set up nicely after a 3-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Stephen Ireland, Darren Bent and Stiliyan Petrov scoring the goals on a night which saw Alex McLeish record just his fourth win in charge of Aston Villa.

Despite this result we then went on to lose 2-0 at home to Brendan Rogers' Swansea side.

This year has seen the loss of our captain to illness, the sacking of Alex McLeish and the employment of former Norwich City manager Paul Lambert, the summer signing of Christian Benteke and the mixed bag of results.

This year hasn't been one for the faint-hearted, that's for sure.

Goal of the Year:

Andi Weimann celebrating his goal against
Liverpool on Saturday. (Getty Images)

This was a hard one as there has been quite a few stand out goals. Andi Weimann's scored a few crackers, his one against Stoke last season and first against Manchester United this season have both stuck in my head. However, I'm going to have to go with Andi's goal from Saturday. Just the build up play is worth the plaudits. It might not have been the most outstanding bicycle kick that everyone will remember for years to come; but the way the Austrian and Benteke found each other with so much ease is something that you don't see on a daily basis. For that reason, my goal of the year award goes to Andreas Weimann's goal against Liverpool. However, half of that can go to the Belgium beast for his back heel from heaven.

Game of the Year:
There was an option of about three games that contested for this title. Wolves away in January was a game that I won't forget for a long time coming. Not only was it because of the comeback we produced with the help of an Irishman, it was the support from the Villa fans that made it a memorable afternoon. The second game that springs to mind from this year is the Manchester City away game in the Capital One Cup. I didn't travel to the game, but I remember it well, not only because of the score. It was my school's open evening and I was helping out in the science department. My science teacher, who is a Blues fan let me point out, wasn't too keen on the idea when I asked if I could listen to the game on the radio, but he reluctantly decided that I could. So, there was me in my lab coat, cup of tea in one hand, biscuit in the other listening to the game; whilst in between showing the kids my 'magic trick.' Although the score was contender for game of the year, the story behind it pushed it towards that award. However, I went with the Norwich game from midweek. What a game that was.

Support:
For me, our away support beats our home support every time. I love away days and its because of the support that makes me love them so much. My trip to Old Trafford, despite the result was one of the best. We were right at the top and you could hardly see anything but the roof, yet we still managed to out sing the boring home support. The chants of "we support our local team" put the icing on the cake.

Player:
It's difficult to pick just one player.
Christian Benteke is fas tbecoming the most talked about striker this season. His power is immense.
Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger are rated as one of the best central defensive double acts in the Barclays Premier League but from early in the game on Saturday, it was apparent Benteke’s hulking presence and work-rate was unsettling. Of the pair, Skrtel had the most trouble. The Slovakian usually gives as good as he gets when it comes to a physical battle but, on this occasion, he had no answer. His day was summed up by Villa’s third goal, when he didn’t have the strength to halt Benteke’s charge to the area and was tied up in knots. His potency is a different level. Before heading to Anfield, Benteke had only scored four times in the league following his £7million switch from Genk but moved his tally on impressively with two differing strikes. After going close with a sixth-minute header, Benteke had the air of a striker who knew he would score. His potential is frightening. It was, without doubt, his best display on these shores and doing it at stadium as fabled as Anfield will have attracted plenty of attention. Listening to Lambert, though, any admirers considering scouting him would be wasting their time. "Christian can be anything he wants," said Lambert. "He might not hit his peak until he is about 28, you never know. But he has been incredible for us, absolutely fantastic. He is playing in a fantastic Belgian side which is bringing him on as well.
You can never stop people looking but if you want to buy these players, you’ll have to have a few quid. There is absolutely no chance we would be looking to sell. We are trying to build something here and progress."
Then there's Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood, Brett Holman.
But I've got it down to one man; Bradley Guzan. There's not much else you can say about this man. Coming in for the dropped Shay Given he has impressed week in, week out with his solid performances between the sticks.

Biggest Flop:
I don't like to say it but Marc Albrighton has got to be the biggest flop of 2012 for Villa this year. He shone in his season under Gerard Houllier, but suffered major second season syndrome. He hasn't performed at his best this year, yet he has a lot of potential, which I'm hoping he can recapture during 2013.

"Wow"
I'd like to once again mentioned Christian Benteke's back heel at the weekend. I can't tell you how many times I've reminded that moment. But for me the "wow" of the year is every time we get up on the 19th minute for Stan Petrov. After being struck down by leukaemia we have applauded our captain on the 19th minute of each game since. Every time it takes my breath away and sends shivers down my spine. It's one special moment, emotional to the point were it leaves me with a tear in my eye.

Rookie:
As I said in my last post, it has to be Ashley Westwood. Coming from a League Two team into the Premier League and making the step over with such composure is something. A big hand has to go to Paul Lambert and his backroom staff for spotting this beauty.

Manager:
It's out of two men, Alex McLeish and Paul Lambert and I know who I'd pick every day of the week. The man from Norwich is a guy that's taking Aston Villa in the right direction; forward. He has a long term plan that he's put in place. He's a tactical genius and I believe that he is the right man for the job and I hope he continues to prove the doubters wrong.

Quote:
"It's a long project. It's never going to happen overnight. I thought today we were well worth something. They are a young side but they are growing every time they play." Paul Lambert