The problem with the Dunne & Collins pair

[The Left Side]

I think consistency is what we need, they are not the players they were a year ago and I can't understand why... hopefully the new year and today's result will galvanise the team and we start playing like we did 12 months ago.

[TheTimVilla]

Well I think to a man they performed admirably today. Worst defenders ever? I think you're just creating a subject header to attract posts. Steve Sims & Derek Mountfield or Collins & Dunne...I know which ones I'd have......

Except Sims & Mountfield  never played together for Villa.

[snetta]

All in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.

But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another  win thrown away  due to the  lack of consistency of our defenders.
It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire  ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.

I can concede that Dunne  has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.
And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.

The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders,  I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.

Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand   is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's.
We can't hold the ball back, it's  for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.

Obviously it's I that I blame MON for signign  two average (but overpaid  ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play,  play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar.
It's  a mistery to me.

The only mistery to me is your motive???

[Mark H]

I think of all the games over the last few months we have had to endure you pick a strange time to launch such a tirade - but all about personal views I suppose

[Risso]

Very harsh words...a point at the bridge is a point at the bridge especially given our form of late.

I'm not excusing defensive performances of late (and I'm no fan of James Collins) but I thought we did well and can be happy with the way the defence performed overall.

With all due respect, praise for the defence has been widespread on this thread and the match thread and yet we conceded three goals and YET AGAIN could not hold a lead til time from the 80th minute. I'm sure the whole nation knew from that point on the one bankable fact was that Villa would concede at least one and would not win.
Praise if it's due must go to the forward  line who managed three goals in a league game for the 3rd time this season and more than 1 for only the 5th time, and thereby bailed a leaky defence out of another dodgy situation.
Great draw and hopefully we'll kick on but if we don't plug the holes we won't.

One of the goals was scored by a defender.

[ClarrieBlue]

All in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.

But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another  win thrown away  due to the  lack of consistency of our defenders.
It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire  ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.

I can concede that Dunne  has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.
And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.

The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders,  I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.

Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand   is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's.
We can't hold the ball back, it's  for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.
Did you
Obviously it's I that I blame MON for signign  two average (but overpaid  ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play,  play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar.
It's  a mistery to me.

You obviously never saw us as we plummeted into the old Third Division. Yes I know I’m an old git but come on.

[ROBBO]

Silliest post of the week, perfect defending no, solid and passionate yes.

[Countryside Villain]

Harsh words and a very strange time to formulate them.  Neither are famed for their distribution and we've all bemoaned CBs trying to play it out when all they should do is hoof it away.  The penalty was harsh on Collins and both made some good tackles.  Dunne's tackle in the second half, in the box, with a card happy ref, was quality.

What we needed today was a well earned point or three, won with character and spirit.  We certainly weren't at our best but the defence played pretty well and were unlucky to concede 3.  I'll take it for now, enjoy the slight upturn in our fortunes and see what the rest of the week brings.

My initial response was considerably shorter and blunter than this.

[Monty]

Hey we think our defence is bad, what must Ancelotti be thinking? This is a man used to having Nesta and Maldini in his defence, and he gets the type of defending he got today. What he must be thinking.

[damon loves JT]

Archie, you make the mistake of judging their defending by Italian standards.

Collins is Welsh, he probably thinks catenaccio is the sound a cat makes when it sneezes

[ClarrieBlue]

All in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.

But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another  win thrown away  due to the  lack of consistency of our defenders.
It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire  ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.

I can concede that Dunne  has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.
And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.

The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders,  I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.

Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand   is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's.
We can't hold the ball back, it's  for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.
Did you
Obviously it's I that I blame MON for signign  two average (but overpaid  ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play,  play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar.
It's  a mistery to me.

You obviously never saw the likes of George Curtis, Fred Turnbull and Big Dick Edwards etc as we plummeted into the old Third Division. Yes I know I’m an old git but come on.

They were great last year. They have struggled under pressure this year but they have played behind what must be Villa’s most inexperienced midfield ever – if not the PL’s. It is a team game you know.

[Archie]

Archie, you make the mistake of judging their defending by Italian standards.

Collins is Welsh, he probably thinks catenaccio is the sound a cat makes when it sneezes

He, he, nice touch Demon, fair play to you!

Well, I know that the time of my post looks strange,  many of you seem to get irritated for this.

I'm sorry, but I didn't intend to be harsh with our lads; the fact is that  I suffered like a beast after their comeback, and if  Cjaran Clark, left completely and incredibly marked, hadn't scored the late equalizer, I suppose that much more users would agree that our defence is (like it  has always been) poor this season.
So premised, I don't think that  the last equalizer,  not depending on Dunne or Collins, can mitigate the judgement on their performance.
And to  those who wrote that Dunne played his best game this season I want to say:  I agree with you. I had premised that Dunne played quite well, and this is the reason why I'm so worried about our defence, because our CD makes his best peformance and he concedes one goal. When he doesn't make his best effort, he concedes two or three.
How many goals have we conceded until now?  And till when shall we praise these defenders?

[curiousorange]

I think after six-odd weeks of defensive calamaties and complete terror whenever even a mediocre striker came within ten yards of them, a Paul McGrath-style domination of the game would have been asking a hell of a lot. I thought Dunne in particular was marvellous, much improved.

[richard moore]

Gross exaggeration. I don't mean to be rude but how long have you been following the Villa if you think our current pairing is the worst ever? Presumably you don't remember the mid 80s for example and such luminaries as Brendan Ormsby, Dean Glover, Steve Foster and Paul Elliott to name but four. Or, forgive me, perhaps you're not old enough to...

[Archie]

Gross exaggeration. I don't mean to be rude but how long have you been following the Villa if you think our current pairing is the worst ever? Presumably you don't remember the mid 80s for example and such luminaries as Brendan Ormsby, Dean Glover, Steve Foster and Paul Elliott to name but four. Or, forgive me, perhaps you're not old enough to...

I have been following Villa since 1978-79 season, but, living in Italy, until about ten years ago I couldn't see all the games like I do now, and I should be satisfied with the one or two games that I could manage to see live, at VP or in some London stadia.
So, you're right, I certainly can have exagerrated, but what I meant is that I can't acclimatize to have two central defenders that always belt the ball clear and renounce to create from the back, this not my idea of football.