You Are The Weakest Link!

What's everyone got against Smiler? I said Bardsley, but I would choose anyone playing on the right side of the field: that's been our Achilles heel this season.

gavin mccann is a tough player which is wot we need 2 win trophies. UP THE VILLA

i disagree with that, though the choices were lean, i went for sorensen, but saying that if the choices included 'other' players, i would have voted differently. we looked lost without gav earlier this season. saying that bothgav and tommy have played above themselves this year, tommy did the biz against redscouse on sunday, but neither of them are really the class that we'll need to take the next step.

I'm all for freedom of speech and love the power of the Internet, but I do question the wisdom of this sort of poll. Whoever is the 'weakest link', we are effectively stuck with them until at least the summer, and maybe beyond if their replacement gets injured (it does happen: a certain M Laursen for example ...). Providing the player is putting in an 'honest effort' (apologies to Mr D O'Leary), what is the point of us slating them on here? If they are good enough, they will stay beyond the summer. If not, why not leave them their dignity and accept their honest efforts in the meantime?

Well said BtheB. I would say that all players have grafted this season but that is the minimum expectation. We are just grateful that we have got the consistent effort levels for the first time in a few years. But it does go to prove that this effort needs to be married up with some quality to move to the next level. As for McCann I think he is the sort of player that will suit a mid table team. If you look at the top four, none of them have what you would consider a hard man. The interpretation of the laws of the game have changed over recent seasons to allow football to become more attractive. This means less hard men and more footballers. Take our game against Arsenal for example. Fabregaz and Denilson (footballers not tacklers) ran rings around McCann and Petrov despite them working their socks off. It wasn't until we put Barry in the middle with them that we stifled them a little. McCann works hard and makes a few tackles but that is no longer enough at the top end of the league. You need to be able to put a foot on the ball, take control of a game, create and score goals and generally find your own man with the ball. None of these attributes apply to McCann. However whilst he is in a Villa shirt he gets my support because he gives 100% and that is all we ask. It is then up to the manager to decide if he has enough quality. Sorenson IMHO opinion is as good as anyone else in the division other than Cech, Van Der Sar and Given. I also think Lehman is a great keeper despite his barmy episodes (he has a bit of Bosnich about him). I am also going to upset Fear with my views on Mellberg. His distribution is shocking and he regularly loses his man when a ball is put into the box. On the plus side he has good pace. Is not injury prone and does reasonably well in one on one situations against most forwards. There are still many areas that need to be improved. But as we said at the start of the season, M'ON needed this season to evaluate and tinker with what he had to work with. Next season we should see the players seen as surplus to requirements being moved on and season three should then be a real indication of the direction the club is taking on the field. Off the field everything is as good as I can remember. So it is important that as supporters we continue with the groundswell of support that is now coming through the gates. We know there will be periods of frustration and disappointment but that is the same for 99% of football clubs. But it is obvious to all that Villa fans that we are a club on the way back. Be patient and the world will soon notice that one of world footballs oldest and biggest names is challenging the current successful regimes.

cnt agree with that, yes Mccann has had some dodgy games however he has been inspirational grafting in the midfield all season! our weakest link is clearly creativity in midfield, and atm carew needs a strike partner! they are weakness the creativity side because defensively we have looked solid!

do they give 110% and you cant ask any more of them bob?

We need to get creative midfielders in someone to spot killer passes that would make an instant difference.

Fear take note. Polls asking negative questions inadverdently isolate a player in the eyes of the fans. It is very easy to ask the question in a more positive way. Who has been our strongest link? Who is our best graduate of the youth system? What is the best feature of Villa Park. Realistically what players can improve Villa?What has been the best improvement made by the new board? etc Stop asking us to identify players we do not want!! At the moment we want them all and we want them grafting every game.