Aston Villa Post Match Thread 2 - 1

[benpicko]

Apart from Nugent's shot has anybody actually done anything or attempted to do anything with a ball like that this season. Feels as though if Vardy had got on the end of that ball he'd have brought it down, started running directly towards the goalkeeper at half his actual pace, and then have been brought down at the last second by a defender before he's even thought through how he wanted to finish it. After that hopeless shot a few of matches ago, people were talking about how he was scared to have the ball at his feet, how he should **** off and that they're done with us until he's gone, and he was back to the bench after that, but Vardy took a shot exactly like it a couple of matches later and has been woeful since the Man U match and nobody really mentions it. There's a 'Nugent.' thread every time he plays for 10 minutes and makes a single mistake, yet Vardy manages it for 90 minutes every week and there's nothing. Very selective in the criticism on here

[Callabinho]

This wasn't the worst we've played by a long way but it still showed quite emphatically that the manager is snookered and the team is looking as if it's not capable of surviving because we simply don't have either the manpower or the clever philosophies to make the best of what we've got at this level.

Factor One: Did anyone believe we'd hang on to or capitalise on our lead because I didn't. It was clear from the off that we were going to concede because, in boxing terms we were fighting an opponent at least two categories higher in terms of weight and strength.

Factor Two: Even someone who'd never watched Leicester would have taken less than five minutes to realise we had to keep the ball on the ground and play our way either through or round the Villa defence but we didn't do that.

Factor Three (connected to factor two). I stated at the beginning of the season that the last thing you can do in The Premiership is possession away cheaply but we looked like a charity outfit.

Factor Four: (Corners and free kicks): You can't give em away needlessly and you have to make something of the ones you get. We failed on both counts.

Factor Five: When opponents have on or more known dangermen it's not usually easiest to subdue them man-to-man but by preventing them getting the ball in the first place. We didn't do that. Villa were allowed to get far too many crosses into the box without much pressure and there was no chance of any of our defenders coping with Benteke in the air and the attention he required meant it was easier for other Villa attackers.

Now most of the above refers to basics - they are things you'd work on with a junior side and that's what most concerns me about Pearson. He talks about attention to detail but too often he doesn't even get the basics right.

If that sounds a bit defeatist let me say I think we could have beaten Villa. Our wide players posed a threat in that both had the beating or the chance of beating their full-backs. But, we didn't get the ball to them sufficiently, we didn't get enough players into supporting situations and we never had a chance of converting aimless crosses. The right approach was to attack down the flanks, both outside and inside the full-backs and to probe the Villa defence with low passes and driven crosses and shots.

Pearson should have recognised one of the dangers from the off when Villa got an unchallenged cross in from the left and Benteke was only a few feet away from connecting in front of an almost open goal. The cross could and should have been cut out. But no and the second goal showed how little we learned. Again, there'd been an easlier example when their right sided attacker had received a pass from left midfield in acres of space and fired narrowly over the near post. Did we learn? No. The same happened with the goal. The left-winger was allowed far too much space. The defenders expected an interception but allowed themselves to all be drawn goalwards and the crossfield pass left Hutton with so much time and space he could almost have had a coffee before rifling the ball home.

It was so naive.

As was the first goal. Some might blame Moore but he had no chance of beating Clark to the header. Villa had worked on that free kick and it was perfctly delivered. Even if Moore had almost miraculously tracked his man who'd shaped to go square, he'd have had no chance of intercepting a low ball aimed on the inside of the attacker. The blame was Wasilowski's for giving away a totally needless free-kick in just the place where it could cause most damage.

Next was our charitability. I understand one or two high crosses both from corners and open play as a means of attack but only when they're specific - that is aimed at a particular runner and into a specific place. But, again, even early on, it became apparent we weren't likely to have much impact in that department. Villa as a side were big, strong and mean. And yet we fired endless high balls to no-one in particular and simply donated possession to the opposition while our wide players were begging to be fed more and more opportunities.

No, neither Schlupp nor Mayrez had great games but they posed a permanent threat with their pace, trickery and willingness to shoot. Why didn't we exploit that?

Well one reason was because we just hoofed the ball from the back and the other was because our central midfield was so inept. Yes, they tried - I thought everyone tried - but James is not a pass-and-move player and nor is he a marksman because, although willing, he simply doesn't have the discipline or accuracy either with his shooting or his final passes.

Cambiasso was his usual bufferfly self, flitting in and our with a bit part in our goal but never in any way as dominant or influencial as he needs to be given what we lack in playing him - the added aerial capability of King and passing consistency of King which would have been a godsend today.

Free-kicks can be mentioned every week but, put simply, Villa demonstrated how hard they'd worked on theirs and scored one of their two goals as a result and posed a threat from every one because they had people and purposeful runners to aim at. We posed no threat at all with James lofting one cross nearer the corner flag than the six yard box. It really was pathetic all round.

We are up against, we can't help some of our shortcomings - particularly in height - but all the more reason we should be tactically right and disciplined enough to play those tactics to the nth degree.

What we don't need now is more wholesale changes although I thought Wood looked a threat in his cameo. We need to learn from what we did wrong and put it right...whether with Pearson as boss or with someone else who does have the humility to understand and get the best from what he's got. Because we didn't do that today. Yes, we made a few chances but they might have scored four or five.

Agreed, our midfield set up is on of real concern to me, Sanchez spent the whole game unmarked, it's just a good job he was useless otherwise we could have been severely punished, we can't continue to play two static central midfielders, it HAS to be a more dynamic set up.

[Dickov22]

Apart from Nugent's shot has anybody actually done anything or attempted to do anything with a ball like that this season. Feels as though if Vardy had got on the end of that ball he'd have brought it down, started running directly towards the goalkeeper at half his actual pace, and then have been brought down at the last second by a defender before he's even though through how he wanted to finish it. After that hopeless shot a few of matches ago, people were talking about how he was scared to have the ball at his feet, how he should **** off and that they're done with us until he's gone, and he was back to the bench after that, but Vardy took a shot exactly like it a couple of matches later and has been woeful since the Man U match and nobody really mentions it. There's a 'Nugent.' thread every time he plays for 10 minutes and makes a single mistake, yet Vardy manages it for 90 minutes every week and there's nothing. Very selective in the criticism on here

Can't think anyone on here rates Vardy as highly as I do, and I've criticised him plenty of times recently. He was awful against Liverpool, his touch deserted him and when through on goal he completely lacked any confidence and took an early shot rather than taking the ball on. He was anonymous yesterday although perhaps should have had a pen? Not seen it live yet. Nugent did better than Vardy when he came on, but was still largely ineffective. However poor Vardy has been (and he has) I still think he's far more dangerous than Nugent is.

I agree that some fans on here are very biased in their views towards certain players, but not everyone is. Some can be objective.

I really don't think Vardy and Ulloa link up well together to be honest.

[bovril]

Can't think anyone on here rates Vardy as highly as I do, and I've criticised him plenty of times recently. He was awful against Liverpool, his touch deserted him and when through on goal he completely lacked any confidence and took an early shot rather than taking the ball on. He was anonymous yesterday although perhaps should have had a pen? Not seen it live yet. Nugent did better than Vardy when he came on, but was still largely ineffective. However poor Vardy has been (and he has) I still think he's far more dangerous than Nugent is.

I agree that some fans on here are very biased in their views towards certain players, but not everyone is. Some can be objective.

I really don't think Vardy and Ulloa link up well together to be honest.

 

We don't seem to have anyone to link up with Ulloa up front, apart from maybe King playing in a 2010-11 type role.

[les-tah]

I just dont think sacking pearson is the answer! im not a pearson lover or hater but what he has done over the last few season is brilliant! Sacking a manager is just to easy.

 

i just think he was to naive coming into the premiership.... hope he is a very quick learner and can put it right in january transfer window.

 

Look at allardyce and west ham and the crushing season he had last year, now look where they are.

[Raj]

Nice to see Pearson sharing a laugh n joke wiv Lambert after the game......

[Fox92]

How the hell do $KY manage to sell this soulless crap around the world.I'm never ever going to a game again sober.

 

At least you won't remember the performance.

[Fox Ulike]

Why did it take Schlupp so long to close Hutton down before the goal. Schlupp definitely should have got there to make a block

 

Schlupp is being asked to “tuck in” as the third midfielder when we don’t have the ball .

 

So he was in the middle of the pitch, which is probably where he’s been told he should be.

 

Lambert probably noticed this and realised that if Hutton pushed on then no-one would pick him up.

 

I feel sorry for Schlupp cos he’s not a central midfielder but ends up just sitting there to try and stop the midfield getting over-run. But all he really does is occupy space.

 

It’s asking too much of a young player to essentially play two roles.

[NotTheMarketLeader]

Absolutely pathetic. It gets worse and worse each week. An awful display. Absolutely no quality on the ball apart from Cambiasso and Mahrez. This is a totally beaten side that already knows whats in store in May. Sad times.

When our better players are playing so poorly and we ARE now adrift at the bottom behind teams who we knocked into a cocked hat last season, there are massive problems. Poor - no, diabolical recruitment in the summer, along with playing utter garbage like Schlupp beggars belief at this level. Surely we all knew the latter can't play football ( I don't mean run fast), that Konch's legs have gone, that Nugent is not up to this level, that we needed a decent centre back (not an ageing 35yo). Even our better players have know been dragged into a mire of ...... I was going to say mediocrity, but it's worse than mediocre, it's truly shocking. NP I quite like, but he's been at the helm, and the ship is sinking fast. Head for the lifeboats!

[NotTheMarketLeader]

Schlupp is being asked to “tuck in” as the third midfielder when we don’t have the ball .

So he was in the middle of the pitch, which is probably where he’s been told he should be.

Lambert probably noticed this and realised that if Hutton pushed on then no-one would pick him up.

I feel sorry for Schlupp cos he’s not a central midfielder but ends up just sitting there to try and stop the midfield getting over-run. But all he really does is occupy space.

It’s asking too much of a young player to essentially play two roles.

It is asking too much for Schlupp to be playing at this level, as he clearly is a terrible footballer. That said, it really shouldn't be asking too much to look over you shoulder, when in a defensive position to see whether their is an opponent in the acres of space behind. He's an adult playing in the PL. Not a 7 year old child. Stop making excuses for a player who continues to show, in virtually all that he does on the pitch, that he's a complete dud. NP should know by now that at best he's a passenger, at worst a liability.

[1993fox]

Cambiasso and James at least look like the ball isn't a bomb about to go off when they have it. 

 

 

 

James? He had a ****ing disaster yesterday pal. You must be one of those fans who are moist for him week in week out.

[Smiffy Fox]

The most concerning thing to me is in the last 3 games the opposition has been bang average, yet we still manage to get beat. I can take getting beat by a moment of brilliance or a team completely outclassing us but apart from Swansea and 1st half against Man Utd, this hasn't happened.

Looking back on the Villa game, Liam Moore has to be responsible for the 1st goal. At 1-1 what Wasyl is doing so far up the pitch I don't know. Ultimately these 2 poor decisions by our players have cost us the game. I know we need points but away from home we have to be more resilient and keep the shape of the team. Also the ref's performance was an absolute joke, no consistency at all. I believe we had a nailed penalty! The keeper might have got the slightest of touches on ball when Vardy was through, but he didn't get enough on it to deflect to ball away. He then clearly took Vardy out, who would have had open goal without any contact. Then Vardy challenges Westwood, wins the ball but gets booked for the follow through (in my eyes the same situation as the penalty appeal). Then just to rub salt in, Clark makes a challenge on ulloa, wins the ball but again follows through and takes the player out but doesn't even concede a free kick.

As for the sending off, if you watch the game back, Hutton is moaning to the ref on a few occasions before the incident with Konchesky. He then goes up for a header and not only does he put his boot into Schullp's back, he also kicks out at him right in front of the linesman, again not even a free kick. Hutton then goes down rolling on the floor after konchesky's challenge (I don't even know if contact was made). As soon as Konchesky says something to him, he's on his feet and in his face, shoves Konchesky away, and we all know the outcome. These kind of decisions do affect the outcome of games.

Pearson has to take responsibly along with the players for this horrendous run we're on, but key decisions going against us isn't helping.

[theessexfox]

 Thank you a million Pearson for being so bloody naive, inept, arrogant, clueless and as useless as a chocolate teapot.

Pity the agony you must have suffered last year watching the man you hate so much succeed.

[Mark_w]

 Thank you a million Pearson for being so bloody naive, inept, arrogant, clueless and as useless as a chocolate teapot.

 

Yay, the Savile defending, ethnic minority hating, Pearson loathing poster we know and love is back. And there was me thinking you were giving him till Christmas, thank God that hasn't happened.

[Mickyblueeyes]

Second goal was Was fault by a long way.

He is the experienced centre back in that four he gets a rush of blood and charges out to the full back position meaning every player in that line, including Schlupp has to move down one leaving Hutton free.

He is a disappointing player the camera caught his face just after the goal he knew his mistake.

[Matt]

The one positive out of us being shit for me is my fitness is great, i'm taking all my anger out in my workouts, it for some reason pushes me harder and longer, the punchbags took one hell of a battering the last 10 weeks aswell.

[inckley fox]

Agreed, our midfield set up is on of real concern to me, Sanchez spent the whole game unmarked, it's just a good job he was useless otherwise we could have been severely punished, we can't continue to play two static central midfielders, it HAS to be a more dynamic set up.

 

This point about Sanchez is crucial. I felt he was a potential weakness for them which we could have latched on to. We lacked the extra man in the middle to do this, but I felt Vardy - instead of chasing in vain up front - should really have defended deeper to give us that man. We looked better when closing them down the second they crossed the half way line, we gained nothing out of pressurising them in their own half.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Yay, the Savile defending, ethnic minority hating, Pearson loathing poster we know and love is back. And there was me thinking you were giving him till Christmas, thank God that hasn't happened.

I have already explained why my view changed. I did at least expect Pearson to instil some improvement to the team, but he has done nothing at all, except be an arrogant tosser, a trait that you will understand only too well. Are you his brother, or do you just live up his arse rent free?

[Mark_w]

I have already explained why my view changed. I did at least expect Pearson to instil some improvement to the team, but he has done nothing at all, except be an arrogant tosser, a trait that you will understand only too well. Are you his brother, or do you just live up his arse rent free?

 

None of the above, I'm just more intelligent than you (see the 2012/13 Pearson Out debate).

[LCFCSOULBOY]

We were absolutely crap all over the field

Why do we continue to pass so badly. Short passes, others gone astray. Not looking where our are players before we kick it to no one or an opposing team player. I get so frustrated to see us so unorganized. Players not doing the fundamentals. I agree with Pearson that we do have some talent on the squad. But what I think he does not know is that they have no football at this level. Except for Cambiasso they are all have the intelligence of lower league players. There are many talented players in the lower leagues everywhere. But for a reason . No football brain to see a pass, for see a run and genuinely read the game. I cannot believe we are not working on passing, crossing, defending etc in training. I am beginning to believe they forget everything by game time. Good players but not PL players.

[LCFCSOULBOY]

Sorry missed the words football brain

[veezeeblue]

James? He had a ****ing disaster yesterday pal. You must be one of those fans who are moist for him week in week out.

 

well he had dampening performance in my opinion  :xmaslaugh:

[veezeeblue]

This wasn't the worst we've played by a long way but it still showed quite emphatically that the manager is snookered and the team is looking as if it's not capable of surviving because we simply don't have either the manpower or the clever philosophies to make the best of what we've got at this level.

 

Factor One: Did anyone believe we'd hang on to or capitalise on our lead because I didn't. It was clear from the off that we were going to concede because, in boxing terms we were fighting an opponent at least two categories higher in terms of weight and strength.

 

Factor Two: Even someone who'd never watched Leicester would have taken less than five minutes to realise we had to keep the ball on the ground and play our way either through or round the Villa defence but we didn't do that.

 

Factor Three (connected to factor two). I stated at the beginning of the season that the last thing you can do in The Premiership is possession away cheaply but we looked like a charity outfit.

 

Factor Four: (Corners and free kicks): You can't give em away needlessly and you have to make something of the ones you get. We failed on both counts. 

 

Factor Five: When opponents have on or more known dangermen it's not usually easiest to subdue them man-to-man but by preventing them getting the ball in the first place. We didn't do that. Villa were allowed to get far too many crosses into the box without much pressure and there was no chance of any of our defenders coping with Benteke in the air and the attention he required meant it was easier for other Villa attackers. 

 

Now most of the above refers to basics - they are things you'd work on with a junior side and that's what most concerns me about Pearson. He talks about attention to detail but too often he doesn't even get the basics right.

 

If that sounds a bit defeatist let me say I think we could have beaten Villa. Our wide players posed a threat in that both had the beating or the chance of beating their full-backs. But, we didn't get the ball to them sufficiently, we didn't get enough players into supporting situations and we never had a chance of converting aimless crosses. The right approach was to attack down the flanks, both outside and inside the full-backs and to probe the Villa defence with low passes and driven crosses and shots.

 

Pearson should have recognised one of the dangers from the off when Villa got an unchallenged cross in from the left and Benteke was only a few feet away from connecting in front of an almost open goal. The cross could and should have been cut out. But no and the second goal showed how little we learned. Again, there'd been an easlier example when their right sided attacker had received a pass from left midfield in acres of space and fired narrowly over the near post. Did we learn? No. The same happened with the goal. The left-winger was allowed far too much space. The defenders expected an interception but allowed themselves to all be drawn goalwards and the crossfield pass left Hutton with so much time and space he could almost have had a coffee before rifling the ball home. 

 

It was so naive.

 

As was the first goal. Some might blame Moore but he had no chance of beating Clark to the header. Villa had worked on that free kick and it was perfctly delivered. Even if Moore had almost miraculously tracked his man who'd shaped to go square, he'd have had no chance of intercepting a low ball aimed on the inside of the attacker. The blame was Wasilowski's for giving away a totally needless free-kick in just the place where it could cause most damage.

 

Next was our charitability. I understand one or two high crosses both from corners and open play as a means of attack but only when they're specific - that is aimed at a particular runner and into a specific place. But, again, even early on, it became apparent we weren't likely to have much impact in that department. Villa as a side were big, strong and mean. And yet we fired endless high balls to no-one in particular and simply donated possession to the opposition while our wide players were begging to be fed more and more opportunities.

 

No, neither Schlupp nor Mayrez had great games but they posed a permanent threat with their pace, trickery and willingness to shoot. Why didn't we exploit that?

 

Well one reason was because we just hoofed the ball from the back and the other was because our central midfield was so inept. Yes, they tried - I thought everyone tried - but James is not a pass-and-move player and nor is he a marksman because, although willing, he simply doesn't have the discipline or accuracy either with his shooting or his final passes.

 

Cambiasso was his usual bufferfly self, flitting in and our with a bit part in our goal but never in any way as dominant or influencial as he needs to be given what we lack in playing him - the added aerial capability of King and passing consistency of King which would have been a godsend today. 

 

Free-kicks can be mentioned every week but, put simply, Villa demonstrated how hard they'd worked on theirs and scored one of their two goals as a result and posed a threat from every one because they had people and purposeful runners to aim at. We posed no threat at all with James lofting one cross nearer the corner flag than the six yard box. It really was pathetic all round. 

 

We are up against, we can't help some of our shortcomings - particularly in height - but all the more reason we should be tactically right and disciplined enough to play those tactics to the nth degree.

 

What we don't need now is more wholesale changes although I thought Wood looked a threat in his cameo. We need to learn from what we did wrong and put it right...whether with Pearson as boss or with someone else who does have the humility to understand and get the best from what he's got. Because we didn't do that today. Yes, we made a few chances but they might have scored four or five.

 

Wood a threat ?

wouldve couldve shouldve scored in the last minute but missed woefully

wouldve couldve shouldve been the hero - wasnt tho

 

Cant comment on the rest cus I dont watch the X factor

[ithuriel]

Fact is, we have only one striker who can score a few goals at this level and he was well marked and limped off at the end of the first half having been handled quite roughly by Villa.

If the opposition keep Ulloa quiet we are toothless.

Vardy, Nugent and Wood are quite capably handled by defenders at this level.

[CosbehFox]

 I believe we had a nailed penalty! The keeper might have got the slightest of touches on ball when Vardy was through, but he didn't get enough on it to deflect to ball away.

 

Sky would have made that a focal point of their half-time analysis if it wasn't for Vardy's challenge after. At the time, I felt it was defo a peno. But c'est la vie.