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Don’t let a new signing mask Aston Villa’s current problems

Article by Luke Heyes

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The slump in Aston Villa’s recent performances have angered and disheartened supporters to the point of a petition for Lambert’s head. Fans have recently been caught on a mobile phone brawling in a Leicester backstreet and even the players appear to be failing to resist the urge to vent their frustrations; Ciaran Clarke was sent off in Villa’s last match and the bravado that continued as both players made their way back to the tunnel, speak of a larger problem. Matt Lowton could only watch and smile as players had to be separated while management staff looked away sheepishly, failing to take control of the incident. It’s not an unfamiliar scenario; it hasn’t come as a revelation. Villa are playing badly; they haven’t had a win in six premier league matches and have scored only one goal during that period. Fans have the right to be angry; players are expected to be frustrated.

Paul Lambert is under immense scrutiny and despite what some fans may think, Randy Lerner, I’m sure, will be keeping a close eye on how the manager will tangle and tussle through what could be a really difficult period for Aston Villa. The post-match grandiloquence of Lambert in his insistence to remind supporters that his relationship with Learner is a positive one, should surely be only warranted on form and results. It’s only a matter of time for the board to start taking responsibility for fan frustration and you do get the impression that the manager is now on borrowed time. Even Lerner, who appears to have given the green light to Lambert just to stay in the premier league, should have some concern with where the club appears to be heading. Looking at the forthcoming fixtures, starting with a home trip to Liverpool and a cup tie against the free-scoring Bournemouth, Villa could find themselves in deep trouble unless Lambert can proceed to find the winning formula.

A belated recognition of Villa’s desperate need for a creative number ten has come in the form of a young Spaniard named Carles Gil. Playing alongside Carlos Sanchez while on loan at Spanish outfit Elche, Lambert sees him as a player who could possibly represent the final piece in the jigsaw. Reports suggest Gil has the ability to change a game and can dribble effectively around players. With a number of goals and assists for Elche, he might be part of the answer to Villa’s current stagnation and if Gil and Sanchez can replicate their previous understanding on the pitch, who knows, I can already hear a Holte End song in the pipeline: Carlos, Carles – but let’s just wait and see.

Aston Villa have also been linked with a host of other players recently and despite purse strings being tight, I’m sure one more deal will be ignited, possibly two. Ravel Morrison has been mentioned, Scot Sinclair was supposedly on his way and fans have already drafted their list of who else they want in. What Lambert needs though, more than anything, is points and that will only come with goals. Hopefully, Gil will quickly adapt to the physicalities of the premier league and provide the creative impetuous that we are in desperate need of. To most fans though, the signing of the young playmaker will hardly mask the atrocities of what has been witnessed in recent performances and how Gil is managed and utilised could be the turning point of Aston Villa’s season.

When you look at our squad, there is huge potential and you have to ask yourself how this is not being expressed on the pitch? Is Lambert stifling player creativity? Is there enough professional discipline on the training ground? Is Lambert too nice, afraid to hurt the feelings of his players and struggling to recognise how to meet their needs? Creative players still need nurturing, they still need good man-management and they have to feel that they are part of a philosophy that is geared towards making progress. Can this be achieved at our club? We will soon find out!

Aston Villa you are beautiful, a contradiction, you will be the death of me!

Welcome to Villa Carles Gil!

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