Aston Villa post match thread 2-1

[mabrah]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

Was disappointed that Dean did not show any yellow cards to Villa for the continued halting of any breakaways we made by little trips or pull backs, but its getting more and common of late it seems.

Ditto. I thought Dean was very lenient and I thought Nakamba was worthy of a yellow for persistent fouling. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a red even.

 

I can only assume that Dean was taking the type of match it was into account; it was frantic at times and maybe he was giving more leeway as a result.

[oxtonfox]

34 minutes ago, Ricey said:

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.

Youri is a very good player but I am uncomfortable with him being an on pitch manager ffs. He’s not experienced enough for that. That could be why he’s been average for 2 months now. He needs to play as he does for Belgium without responsibility for nannying others. 

[Bayfox]

Watching the game back now as wasn't able to attend.

 

So gonna sit and go through this as I watch it.

 

Youri and kasper have to do better for that 1st goal. Madders has spent the 1st 10 mins doing everything but score.

[mabrah]

I read Perez getting criticised for not helping out Ricardo (even the commentators mentioned it) but I'm not sure that's entirely fair, given we don't know what Perez's role was. We were often playing Soyuncu as right back with Ricardo in front of him. I'd not assume that it was Perez's role to track back and help out, though obviously it would have helped in certain situations, rather than stay available wide right (when were defending) to provide the out ball for Ricardo/Soyuncu.

 

I don't profess to know what the tactics were last night but I don't assume that Perez was assigned to help Ricardo in defensive duties (rather than help defensively generally) And I only say that because it seemed to me that Soyuncu was playing as a right back for periods of the game.  

[foxy boxing]

Oh well, we had the chance to get to a cup final against a team on any normal day you would expect us to win, absolutely Gutted. we blew it!.

[Raj]

Midfield is shite

[Ric Flair]

I still keep reminding myself we are a work in progress, we have no divine right to be one of the best teams in the division and although we are accustomed in recent years to seeing our team go from average joe's to world beaters we have to understand the process of progression and the up's and down's. I hope this is a regime that see's us compete for trophies and get in to Europe over a long period of time but right now we aren't bullet proof. There are little things that are now being exposed that weren't in the 1st half of the season and it's down to Rodgers and the players to improve on this, i'm getting mildly irked by some of the tweaks Rodgers has made that aren't working but he is going to make mistakes as well as make incredible tactical changes and improvements in his players so I can accept that.

 

Last night we played fairly well, we are a much better footballing side than Aston Villa but our game management was below par and this is where we have to learn, have to revel in the pressure. James Maddison is our star man but he still lacks the real knack of producing the goods in high profile games, he wants it so badly of course he does and I've every faith he will do but right now it's very common for him to be seen as a show pony in these big games and there to be shot at. On another day he puts the game to bed in the opening 10 minutes and the whole world queues up to nosh him off but it wasn't to be.

 

I thought the biggest disappointment of last night was how anonymous Ndidi was, still finding his feet after injury but our whole 4-1-4-1 dominance relies on Ndidi basically being superhuman and I do wonder if that's sustainable or whether we have to get stronger in other key areas of the park to be superior in big games.

 

Let's harness this hurt and take it out on every PL club that steps in our way for the rest of the season. We still have the FA Cup as well, we are in a fantastic position and I am so proud of this current crop of players and management. Let's remember that, where we've come from.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Reflecting on it again now.

 

When are we going to do away with Gray? He's simply not good enough is he. How many times do we say 'one more chance' or 'this is his season'. He's never improving. If Rodgers can't improve him then can anyone? Genuinely don't think he's any better then when we first signed him. Would like to say at least his work rate has got better. But he didn't even bother challenging that cross last night. Just not on.

 

It does also show just how poor our wingers are. Granted Barnes has really stepped up imo since the turn of the year, and is chipping in or providing goals. But Perez becomes more and more ineffective. At time you can forget he's playing. Maybe it's a positional thing, but either way we need a winger desperately to add quality to this side. Where did he play for Newcastle? Wasn't it more central? 

 

Interesting the comments people have said that about a lack of character and fight which is what you would get with a O'Neill or Pearson side. We have quality but definitely lacked any one pulling the team together and leading. 

 

Rodgers's tactics definitely cost us in the first leg and arguably did again yesterday. We lacked any bite in the first leg and again with the benefit of hindsight perhaps playing Praet over Tielmans would have been a better option.

 

West Ham game being the exception, we are still not really moving the ball with any pace or idea often enough. Slowing the game down and going along the back four let's the opposition get into shape. I said at the time as much as we needed and deserved the West Ham win, when the opposition is as poor as that it does paper over the cracks.

 

Desperately need of a win and a performance on Saturday. No idea if Rodgers knows his best tactics or team any more, and it's starting to show. It's difficult to play both Ihenacho and Vardy in the same team with Maddison not being on the wing. 

[lcfc old boy]

Over the two legs 31 shots 12 on target 2 goals, villa 9 shots 4 on target, 3 goals, one goalie played great over the 2 legs the other so so, 

[joachim1965]

7 minutes ago, Raj said:

Midfield is shite

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Remember Kember]

As other have said I think it was down to character and game management we lost. It isn't the first time either as the previous round we blew a 2 goal lead when in control of the match.

 

I can remember the 97 and 2000 semi-finals both very tight matches and in fact the 97 one against Wimbledon we won on away goals! but at no time did I think we were going to lose either ties as we looked in total control and defensively we were incredibly strong a total contrast to last night.

 

It isn't that the current team is worse than Martin O'Neils''s because clearly in many respects they are better but their game management is poor and it will continue to cost them in big/close games unless it improves

 

 

[Raj]

9 minutes ago, joachim1965 said:

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

LOL. That was my input into yedterdays game for which I'm still fecked off about, especially being so close to them villa kids in lower tier left!!!

Bollox to foxestalk....

[Ian Nacho]

Now I’ve had some time to reflect, although we weren’t brilliant luck wasn’t on our side. Everything went for them, and if it didn’t, we would’ve won 3-1. Should’ve known it wasn’t going to be our night when their man makes a tackle, hits the corner flag and he keeps the ball. 

[Ian Nacho]

19 minutes ago, Raj said:

Midfield is shite

The area which lets us down at the minute is out wide. 

[baldeagle]

The most annoying thing for me was the amount of space we let their best player have . For large parts of the game there was no one near him . 

[Ian Nacho]

15 minutes ago, lcfc old boy said:

Over the two legs 31 shots 12 on target 2 goals, villa 9 shots 4 on target, 3 goals, one goalie played great over the 2 legs the other so so, 

On another night we breeze past them. Just one of those things. Doesn’t hurt any less though. 

[when_you're_smiling]

 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

3 minutes ago, when_you're_smiling said:

 

Oh no how terrible. 

[Stephen Hughes]

15 minutes ago, when_you're_smiling said:

 

Sure it was Villa fans and not some of the lynch  mob on Foxestalk.

[Guest Manini]

I was half expecting there to be headlines of Kasper punching a teenage Villa fan during the melee last night. He seems like the sort. 
 

I imagine a few of our lads copped some stick when they all ran on last night - I don’t know how they hold their nerve I’d be all over the place mentally in that situation. 

[ALC Fox]

A tiny point to make I think is that we don't have anyone (except for Albrighton maybe) who can put in the kind of cross they did for their winner last night.

 

Chilly and Ricardo can cross but not like that. I'd kind of hope that Youri could whip in a ball from the inside right a bit like Henderson and De Bruyne (obviously KDB is a being from another planet!), but we don't seem to either play that way or have that ability.

 

We need more strings to our bow, more ways to break teams down. Otherwise we're not far from being a really, really good side. A frustrating evening but we take it on the chin and keep going for the FA Cup and a CL spot.

[RoboFox]

6 minutes ago, Stephen Hughes said:

Sure it was Villa fans and not some of the lunch mob on Foxestalk.

Things were getting pretty tasty on here, that's for sure.

[Raj]

16 minutes ago, Ian Nacho said:

The area which lets us down at the minute is out wide. 

I meant that!!!! X

[Voll Blau]

All went wrong from the coin toss. Horrible night.

[chapero82]

Can I just say when I post we won’t score during a match thread, I’m not being pessimistic the reason I do it is because when I do say it we normally score a few minutes later, it’s a superstition of mine so please ignore it