Alonso

[red g]

I don't think Rafa wants that role filling at all tbh. CM bursting forward may partly contribute to the fact that Villa have conceded twice as many goals as we have this season. Of course, the major reason is that they are generally worse than we are, but I don't think Rafa wants his CMs running out of position.

dont think Rafa wants anyone running out of position, i reckon even stevie's role, Rafa will have studied the opposition and told him the best places to drift a la villa when he was predominately down the left, althoughe very man and his dog knows that villla are ****ed for a right back!

[wiw]

I don't think Rafa wants that role filling at all tbh. CM bursting forward may partly contribute to the fact that Villa have conceded twice as many goals as we have this season. Of course, the major reason is that they are generally worse than we are, but I don't think Rafa wants his CMs running out of position.

I disagree..I think he wants someone who is capable of it but won't necessarily do it all of the time and picks and chooses when to cleverly.

The problem Villa had was that both Fatarse (can't remember his name at the moment) and Barry were both doing it, especially when they were chasing the game

[saveferris]

dont think Rafa wants anyone running out of position, i reckon even stevie's role, Rafa will have studied the opposition and told him the best places to drift a la villa when he was predominately down the left, althoughe very man and his dog knows that villla are ****ed for a right back!

that's an interesting thought as i noticed in the Fulham game he stayed a lot on the right hand side, sometimes even further out than Kuyt.

[Skillz]

Class player, class bloke.

Amazes me that some people are still willing to see him sold.

???? Who??

[dww]

I don't think Rafa wants that role filling at all tbh. CM bursting forward may partly contribute to the fact that Villa have conceded twice as many goals as we have this season. Of course, the major reason is that they are generally worse than we are, but I don't think Rafa wants his CMs running out of position.

I think it is horses for courses and Rafa has played Gerrard in deep midfield and asked him to burst 'at the right time' on occasion. The problem is that it always takes one of our bigger threats out of a more attacking role. In order to beat more defensive teams we have to add things to our attack, one way of doing it would be a Barry like player. He will never be an Alonso style deep lying play maker, or at least he will always be an inferior one to Alonso yet Rafa wanted to make the swap - I can only imagine that this is because Rafa wanted something different. I'd say that part of the point of a midfield two is the combination and the best Villa can muster to cover Barry is Reo-Coker.