My optimism has disappeared

First and for most an apology for my earlier article in which i stated, “We should be trying to get as many players in as possible, but i respect Martin O`Neil in the sense that he wont buy crap only quality which is what we need but surely there are some quality players out their that would want to come to Villa.”

It was written in the late hours of last night, as i wanted a bit of lie in today! I meant it to sound like this, “I respect Martin O`Neil as he won`t rush in and sign in a Titus Bramble of this world, he only buys the players he thinks will improve the team” After today`s game however i don`t think he knows how to improve the team, they really looked shocking. I mean look at Cuellar, can`t even kick a ball properly, or put a tackle in and actually manage to get the ball. Shorey is the same, can`t head a ball, can`t run with one, can`t pass one, and can`t even defend one. Which considering he is a defender and playing in the best league in the world, it doesn`t bode well for us does it?

Today`s game was an absolute disgrace, O`Neil really was terrible, his starting line up. Delph started having no Championship experience let alone the Premier League, why didn`t he start with Reo or Sidwell who have been playing in this league for years, maybe bring Delph on in the second half towards the end. Then his substitutions, he did it last season as well, taking off a defender and putting on an attacking yet useless player. I mean we can`t defend with four defenders let alone three.

The players were a disgrace, the lot of them they really didn`t look like they could play football let alone like they wanted to.

Friedel – Don` think he can be blamed for the goals, and he made a few decent saves.

Shorey – As i said above, if he`s a footballer then i am a blue nose. He can`t seem to do anything with a ball, stop it, pass it, head it; i mean what was he brought for? Surely O`Neil knows he`s not good enough, he didn`t play him for most of last season, and he chose to play a right back instead. Why hasn`t he been sold and replaced?

Cuellar – Has to be in the top three of Martin O`Neil`s worst buys, along with Harewood and Knight. Why did we sign a player who had no premier league experience? We signed another player from the SPL; surely he should have learnt his lesson from Petrov and Maloney. Look how long took them to settle and even then Maloney went back there.

Davies – Once described himself as a pub player and i don`t think he will have to listen too hard to hear many Villa fans saying the same. No one looked any good today but Davies wasn`t the worst, yet so he shouldn`t be, we didn`t pay 10 million for a player who can defend, or did we?

Beye – Didn`t look great, but lets hope Luke`s back soon because Beye isn`t good enough for a starting place, only to provide half decent back up.

Milner – Works and runs all game but he has no support, look at how he performed the other night for England. He`s playing in a midfield with a 19 year old premier league virgin and a winger who seems to spend more time lying on that floor than he does standing, Then to put him at right back, what a disgrace.

Petrov – Won numerous awards last year, and i am one of his biggest fans yet he never seems to be able to pick out that killer pass. Something Barry could! We need someone next to him who can look up, and pass to one of our players.

Delph – He looked like he needs more time to develop; O`Neil should have never started him. He ran all day and battled hard at some points. He was caught on the ball a few times and looked a bit slow. I think we all accept he needs time to develop, its no his fault he was thrown in the deep end.

Young – Most of the time he was on the floor moaning someone had breathed on him, he goes over too easily and is ineffective when there are two or men on him. We relied on him too much last season and as soon as one club learnt that he cant beat two men they all started doing it. Stop Ashley young and you stop a really huge route of Villa`s scoring.

Heskey – Terrible game, he cant head a ball in the right direction, him and Agbonlahor don`t seem to link up well, but we know if Carew was fit he should of started. Heskey surely doesn`t offer good enough back up though.

Agbonlahor – Our strikers weren`t really called upon, but he looks a lot bigger than last year and defiantly seemed stronger. He is more effective away due to his pace. If we don`t sign another sticker we are in trouble.

The lack of transfer activity is so disheartening when players who would improve villa so much are out there and are ready to be snapped up, i don`t think its a question of money. If it was then why would we spend 6 million on an untested midfielder rather than on a decent centre back? We need players and we need them now, i said earlier we need a centre back, a striker and a really good playmaker. That is as i said in my previous post just the start. Why not just come and out tell us that:
a) I haven`t got the money
b) The players won`t come here
c) I just don`t like spending big money

Something has changed at Villa Park, fans no longer seen him as a Messiah. He has gone down in my opinion; i was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and wrote a really positive article this morning. I like most people were in hope all pre season that he would buy players that will improve the squad, so far he hasn`t and why not. Why wait until the last minute having already lost our first few games. The squad isn`t good enough; our first eleven could be nearly there with 3 or 4 new faces but our backup well it leaves a lot to be desired for. O`Neil needs to tell the players and fans the truth instead of this “i think we maybe could possibly bring in some new faces maybe”

Being the optimist that i am i tried to right this with as much positivity that i could, i found it hard and unless he buys some players in the next few days, i think time has come to really question O`Neil. The honeymoon period was looking to be over earlier this year, there is now no doubt it is well and truly dead and buried.