Aston Villa post match thread 2-1

[Muzzy_Larsson]

9 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

Well said, it seems like a micromanaging ego thing to me. It's absolutely fine to have a philosophy and style of play but it's horses for courses. You will know far better than me but, when at Celtic, if Barcelona, with all their talented players, are at a certain time, the absolute best of the best at a passing game, logic surely dictates that with (respectfully, inferior players), don't take them on at their own best game. It could get ugly and it did. Did he learn anything?

 

Arguably,  they'd have found it more challenging against a big, Tony Pullis trained Stoke City side with whom they'd be unfamiliar. Brendan has to adapt dependant upon opposition like Man City or Liverpool who are good at what they do  

This is it exactly, the latter approach is exactly how we beat them that time at Celtic Park.

[Muzzy_Larsson]

8 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

We were yelling at kasper to bang it long, first time he does it and we nearly score a goal. 

I was doing the exact same from the living room

[Muzzy_Larsson]

8 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

If its been happening for years and he’s never changed it, will he suddenly decide to change it now? Probably not. 

I’m hoping being down there in a more competitive league where teams and managers are smarter and your style of play gets found out and counteracted quickly will lead to him being less stubborn on this front and changing it up. 
 

There wasn’t the same onus on him having to do it up here because despite it being a problem at times we still absolutely wiped the floor domestically and were hugely successful.

[Muzzy_Larsson]

5 minutes ago, Ricey said:

Odd seeing terms like "embarrassing" and "bottle jobs" after last night. We weren't at our absolute best, but it was much better than most performances over the last 6 weeks or so.

 

We created plenty of chances and on another night that would have been enough. I know it's gut-wrenching to lose it like that, but we were unlucky.

 

The tactics in the first leg were much more to blame than anything that happened last night.

I do think terms like “bottling” it are a bit strong. The disappointing thing for me was I hoped the second-half would be an onslaught on the Villa goal and it never really transpired that way. Yes there were a couple of periods of pressure in there in the second-half but it required real gung-ho levels of dominance and that never came.

[foxinsocks]

2 minutes ago, Ricey said:

Odd seeing terms like "embarrassing" and "bottle jobs" after last night. We weren't at our absolute best, but it was much better than most performances over the last 6 weeks or so.

 

We created plenty of chances and on another night that would have been enough. I know it's gut-wrenching to lose it like that, but we were unlucky.

 

The tactics in the first leg were much more to blame than anything that happened last night.

yes - over the last few months we havent created much - last night we made many chances - but they just didn't go in.  Their goalie played well.  For meI would prefer to see tielemans in a more forward role and if the game doesn't allow that then we should play mendy with ndidi.  Ayoze need to get in the gym - he is a good player being pushed off the ball too easily,

 

I hionestelyt beielve that when they ballooned the ball in for their 2nd goal that kasper should have come for it... he is a good goalie but he has limitations.

 

so I would have given kasper encouragement to come for the ball; played mendy instead of Youri... and played fuchs in stead of chilly

[Ricey]

5 hours ago, NaijaFox said:

Appreciative of the effort of a thoughtful post...

 

But even everything else you wrote is spot on, if Gray puts any pressure on El Mohammedy that cross would not be delivered as precisely as it was. Sometimes, it's one momentary act.

 

As for Schmeichel, he's a stellar shot-blocker, but we can either be stuck with his inability to aerially dominate his box or upgrade. If we get to Europe, this shortcoming will be magnified.

>

If you look at the other angle though Grealish was stood on the touchline. Gray decided to cut off that passing lane instead, which is entirely understandable as Grealish would have been been in acres of space had he got the ball.

[Matt]

We need a nasty, ruthless bastard in our team, someone who will take games by the scruff of the neck and drag others with them.

 

Don’t think enough of them get stuck in when the going gets tough, but unfortunately I think that’s what this insistence of a passive game has killed in the game in general.

[TheUltimateWinner]

Right I've calmed down now. Don't think anyone should have a pop at posters for being reactionary because that ****ing hurt last night and I'm sure on reflection there's a lot of posters who threw terms around which they didn't mean. 

 

First thing I'll say is, of course we should all be pleased we reached the Semi Finals. Brendans project is in full swing and we're on track to be a fantastic side.

 

However, we do seem to have a problem with players confidence. Whether it's a high pressure match (Liverpool, Man City, Villa semi final etc) or during a game when things suddenly take a turn and we end up conceding, we look a completely different side. 

 

Take last night for example, first 15 mins we dominated, suddenly they score against the run of play and after that we look unable to string together two passes. I think we need to focus on our mental strength more than anything for our prepartion against Chelsea. 

 

We're a bloody good side on our day, we just need to teach the players to not let the occasion or incidents during the match get to them. At the risk of sounding spursy, hopefully this season will turn them into more mature players who can handle the pressure in years to come.

[Ricey]

Just now, Matt said:

We need a nasty, ruthless bastard in our team, someone who will take games by the scruff of the neck and drag others with them.

 

Don’t think enough of them get stuck in when the going gets tough, but unfortunately I think that’s what this insistence of a passive game has killed in the game in general.

I think last night was a good example of Tielemans and Ndidi not getting hold of the midfield. Ndidi looked hesitant and Tielemans head seems to drop when things go against us (+ his stamina has always been an issue).

 

Apparently Tielemans is our "on-pitch manager" as Rodgers calls him. If that is the case, we need him to step up in moments like that.

[Pliskin]

So, I've kicked seven bells out of the cat, slept, woken up and I am now staring longingly down the garden with a cup of 200 degrees black coffee contemplating.... 

 

Here is what I was thinking. 

 

The two legs;

 

My wife says they're better than hers...... but in all seriousness we were the better team, in footballing terms. We did more than enough to win by the chances we created, and they were good chances too, the keeper made some blinding saves and we were guilty of sloppy finishing. We were the makers of our own downfall at times. We are a bit like a poor mans Man City, we play attractive football, but when the game becomes a scrap we tend to struggle, we usually keep passing but it tends to be aimless and and with no real purpose, and eventually we give the ball away and get caught like I said yesterday man for man we are a better side than Villa, but they had the mental edge, we're appearing a little bit soft in big games, and it is getting somewhat tiring. Our biggest issue for me is the wings we are far too inconsistent and there is not enough productivity either, between Barnes, Gray and Perez they are good in periods, but we need better than that, we need consistency from our wide players.

 

One of the biggest problems last night was our right hand side, Perez did next to nothing to help Ricardo, and he had to deal with Grealish and Target on his own, which then led to their opening goal. 

 

It is frustrating and disappointing at the same time, because we shouldn't be losing to sides like Villa, but there's also hope, and that is with a little more quality I'm sure we wont be far off the top two. 

 

Rodgers is building something, and it is in it's infancy which is why we have evenings like we did last night, he is a shrewd manager and he will get us where he wants us to be. I believe in him and I believe in his ideas and his vision, we are in safe hands. We need to take yesterday on the chin, learn from it and move on. 

 

On to Saturday, a much bigger game, come on you blues!

 

[Ricey]

We are undoubtedly lack resilience and we noticeably struggle when a match becomes physical.

 

You can look at personnel, but it's the managers job to put the players in the right frame of mind for matches like this, yet every single big match this season we have played below par or rolled over too easily.

 

I do wonder whether whether Rodgers calm, laid back, ever-positive managerial style isn't suited to these types of matches. Last night Villa looked fired up, like it was a cup semi-final. I'm not saying we look disinterested, far from it, but it just looked like it was a run of the mill league match for us.

 

It's all very well turning up all guns blazing against West Ham, but we need to start doing it in the big games. Starting on Saturday.

[Jonezy]

The hurt is still very real today. This is gonna take some time isn't it....?

[Les-TA-Jon]

8 hours ago, Chrysalis said:

Shameful to criticise a losing team? oh shock the horror.

 

Didnt watch, but am I right we probably didnt press again?

No, shameful to showcase knee jerk revisionism in a post match thread. 

 

We played well, we created chances. Score even a few of them and the tie is done and no one is bothered. 
 

Lose and suddenly all our players are rubbish and we need cash in on all our young players before other teams realise how bad they actually are. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

8 minutes ago, Ricey said:

I do wonder whether whether Rodgers calm, laid back, ever-positive managerial style isn't suited to these types of matches. Last night Villa looked fired up, like it was a cup semi-final. I'm not saying we look disinterested, far from it, but it just looked like it was a run of the mill league match for us.

I was thinking exactly this. All the pre match chat was how we were "relaxed" and "calm" etc. Sounds stupid but even the stuff put out on our social media compared to Villas, you'd never guess we were playing in a Semi final. 

 

Sometimes you just need to whip the lads up into a frenzy and throw them out there. 

[Ted Maul]

Still annoyed at that performance. Such a huge opportunity and we completely blew it in both games. 

 

I really hope we use the disappointment to make us stronger. We've got all the talent in the world but absolutely no backbone when things get tough. 

 

Considering how big the game was, we just didn't look up for it at all.

[chapero82]

1 minute ago, Ted Maul said:

Still annoyed at that performance. Such a huge opportunity and we completely blew it in both games. 

 

I really hope we use the disappointment to make us stronger. We've got all the talent in the world but absolutely no backbone when things get tough. 

 

Considering how big the game was, we just didn't look up for it at all.

We are missing quality on the wings, Wolves are going to overtake us next season if we aren’t careful 

[CosbehFox]

20 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

I was thinking exactly this. All the pre match chat was how we were "relaxed" and "calm" etc. Sounds stupid but even the stuff put out on our social media compared to Villas, you'd never guess we were playing in a Semi final. 

 

Sometimes you just need to whip the lads up into a frenzy and throw them out there. 

The beauty of us at our finest under Ranieri and moments under Shakespeare was the occasional '****-it' style football. Go toe to toe with your opposition. Run harder. Battle harder. Opposition mostly cave in (Atleti didn't in the Q/Final)

 

There was a point yesterday where we had to start with just high tempo, direct football. Direct doesn't have to be long balls. Pick up the second ball, thirty yards further up the pitch and outnumber them. 

Edited 29 January 2020 by Cardiff_Fox

[l444ry]

3 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

I was thinking exactly this. All the pre match chat was how we were "relaxed" and "calm" etc. Sounds stupid but even the stuff put out on our social media compared to Villas, you'd never guess we were playing in a Semi final. 

 

Sometimes you just need to whip the lads up into a frenzy and throw them out there. 

As a side we seem to over complicate everything. It’s good to watch when it works but it’s pretty clear that even ordinary sides have got our number tactically now. Not sure how much more improvement Brendan can get out of this system without getting better and more consistent wide front men.

[Ted Maul]

1 minute ago, chapero82 said:

We are missing quality on the wings, Wolves are going to overtake us next season if we aren’t careful 

Yep. Still haven't got close to replacing Mahrez after 4 transfer windows. 

[foxfanazer]

I said things last night that in hindsight are probably a tad unfair and fall into the reactionary bracket. Feels like a big opportunity missed and despite us battering them we need to put games like those away

[AKCJ]

Annoying to constantly back Gray up only for him to let us down again like that last night.

 

Not closing down Elmohamady was absolutely criminal.

[norwichfox]

gutted....

[David Hankey]

Well if you don't take your chances you won't win matches with Maddison being the main culprit. At the very least you should get your effort on target.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

3 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Annoying to constantly back Gray up only for him to let us down again like that last night.

 

Not closing down Elmohamady was absolutely criminal.

He's had about 10 "last chances" now, I hate chatting shit about our players but it'll be scandalous if he's in contention next season. 

[oxtonfox]

32 minutes ago, TheUltimateWinner said:

Right I've calmed down now. Don't think anyone should have a pop at posters for being reactionary because that ****ing hurt last night and I'm sure on reflection there's a lot of posters who threw terms around which they didn't mean. 

 

First thing I'll say is, of course we should all be pleased we reached the Semi Finals. Brendans project is in full swing and we're on track to be a fantastic side.

 

However, we do seem to have a problem with players confidence. Whether it's a high pressure match (Liverpool, Man City, Villa semi final etc) or during a game when things suddenly take a turn and we end up conceding, we look a completely different side. 

 

Take last night for example, first 15 mins we dominated, suddenly they score against the run of play and after that we look unable to string together two passes. I think we need to focus on our mental strength more than anything for our prepartion against Chelsea. 

 

We're a bloody good side on our day, we just need to teach the players to not let the occasion or incidents during the match get to them. At the risk of sounding spursy, hopefully this season will turn them into more mature players who can handle the pressure in years to come.

well said