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Author Topic: Villa's style of play  (Read 51504 times)

Online Clampy

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2013, 05:38:52 PM »
Nursey shit-stirring?  Never! 

He does tend to have a pop every now and again, especially after a defeat or two.

Or still smarting from seeing us beat his beloved Norwich last weekend :)

Either way he's a piss poor journalist.

Offline Isa

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #16 on: September 26, 2013, 05:42:33 PM »
Just to point out also that we rarely have majority possession even when Westwood is in the team. I think his importance is grossly exaggerated.

Offline supertom

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #17 on: September 26, 2013, 05:52:42 PM »
Just to point out also that we rarely have majority possession even when Westwood is in the team. I think his importance is grossly exaggerated.

I'm not sure. Our possession would probably be a lot worse having him out the side for 10 games, than in it. I agree he's definitely got to step his game up a level. Last season he very rarely wasted a pass, was always an available option for a teammate. He's really the one player who does his role, that we have. KEA I think is too cumbersome on the ball. He's generally quite tidy, but he's got to sharpen up. He gets caught on the ball too often and also makes Westwood look positively fleet of foot.

But yes, despite the fact Lambert wants us to be a side that gets the ball down and plays football. You'd find over the course of last season (and this) that far more often than not our possession stats would be under the 50 mark, not over it.
For that to change we're going to need more technically able midfielders and a suitable formation (certainly at home). He's got us as a reasonably effective counter attacking side at the moment, but as a footballing possession side, not really. It's work in progress and we look a good year away from it at least. Aside from Sunderland last season, I've not seen us walk all over a side at Villa park and just dominate possession virtually the whole game. We had 61% of possession that game which is almost unheard of for us.

Another couple of cultured midfielders, particularly one who can operate well behind the attackers, to compliment the more athletic players like Delphy, Sylla, and Bacuna mattata are essential.

Offline Mellin

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #18 on: September 26, 2013, 06:01:26 PM »
I've noticed we've been more direct this season than the tail end of last. Would be interesting to know if this is due to a loss I momentum or if Lambert's directed the team to go long.

Offline Chris Smith

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #19 on: September 26, 2013, 06:05:04 PM »
He cites 15% from Opta as his evidence, which means that 85% of the time it isn't classed as long ball. What a load of old bollocks to construct a whole article around that.

When we're under pressure we do go long at times but to make a whole argument based on such meagre evidence is desperate even by his low standards.

Offline Virgil Caine

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2013, 06:17:20 PM »
I have to say that much of the Premier League is about possession and tippy tappy football in areas that pose no threat ie around the half way line. Watching Match of the Day DVDs of the 70s and 80s reminds old codgers like me of how quick teams were to get forward using players who could run and go past players and on getting the ball in and around the opponents penalty area.

 This attrition by passing does not get me on my feet, and I yearn for quick and decisive passing, wing play, overlapping full backs, speed of thought throw ins and corners, players unafraid to dribble and take a risk, one twos, goalkeepers who throw the ball out to a midfielder rather than a centre half, mobile and risk taking players who understand that play without the ball is as important as when in possession, movement and taking defenders out of position, midfielders who don't get a nose bleed when they find themselves in the penalty area. If  a long ball to a forward is appropriate then use it, it's about decision making and adapting style to get the result.

Enough, rant over, apologies.

Offline Isa

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2013, 06:57:47 PM »
Just to point out also that we rarely have majority possession even when Westwood is in the team. I think his importance is grossly exaggerated.

I'm not sure. Our possession would probably be a lot worse having him out the side for 10 games, than in it. I agree he's definitely got to step his game up a level. Last season he very rarely wasted a pass, was always an available option for a teammate. He's really the one player who does his role, that we have. KEA I think is too cumbersome on the ball. He's generally quite tidy, but he's got to sharpen up. He gets caught on the ball too often and also makes Westwood look positively fleet of foot.

But yes, despite the fact Lambert wants us to be a side that gets the ball down and plays football. You'd find over the course of last season (and this) that far more often than not our possession stats would be under the 50 mark, not over it.
For that to change we're going to need more technically able midfielders and a suitable formation (certainly at home). He's got us as a reasonably effective counter attacking side at the moment, but as a footballing possession side, not really. It's work in progress and we look a good year away from it at least. Aside from Sunderland last season, I've not seen us walk all over a side at Villa park and just dominate possession virtually the whole game. We had 61% of possession that game which is almost unheard of for us.

Another couple of cultured midfielders, particularly one who can operate well behind the attackers, to compliment the more athletic players like Delphy, Sylla, and Bacuna mattata are essential.

I'd agree with that somewhat but his presence alone doesn't single-handedly make much difference to the way we play and whilst we continue to generally have less possession then our opponents, then there will be much more onus on the off the ball work of our midfielders of which Westwood is by far the weakest in this regard.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2013, 07:18:40 PM by Isa »

Offline Irish villain

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2013, 07:05:08 PM »
I think that stat could largely be skewed by how unimaginitive and a bit desperate we get at home. When we can't string 5 passes together on the ground we inevitably look long. The Newcastle game in particular was wretched. We were utterly clueless going forward.

Honestly though, if we have to resort to playing even more like Stoke while Benteke's out, I'll settle for it, as long as the points are rolling in. I'd rather win ugly than lose playing pretty (not that we play pretty all that often in truth).

Good post.

To be honest, I was expecting us to be playing better football. We started last season a passing team but we have got so much more direct since then. I think the manager found a formula to suit his players at the back end of last season and he will stick to that. I have been disappointed at how much pressure we invite by giving the ball away cheaply by playing direct. I'd rather see us knock it about a bit so that the other team gets tired chasing.

Offline myf

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #23 on: September 26, 2013, 07:24:57 PM »
We are shit at retaining possession. the second half against norwich was a shambles and even worse on Tuesday. spurs were swarming all over us and we couldn't deal with it. no strength and lots of stray passes. Our one dimensional tactics and weak midfield concern me greatly

Offline avfc_1874

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #24 on: September 26, 2013, 07:38:45 PM »
I've noticed so far this season that we play a lot more long balls at home than we do away.

Offline David_Nab

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #25 on: September 26, 2013, 08:43:10 PM »
The problem is we pass around get no where end up going back to Guzan who promptly blasts it up field.

We have 2 modes chase down the ball when we don't have it and quick counter attacks.As soon as we slow down we are lost.

Offline Mister E

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #26 on: September 26, 2013, 09:06:57 PM »
I have to say that much of the Premier League is about possession and tippy tappy football in areas that pose no threat ie around the half way line. Watching Match of the Day DVDs of the 70s and 80s reminds old codgers like me of how quick teams were to get forward using players who could run and go past players and on getting the ball in and around the opponents penalty area.

 This attrition by passing does not get me on my feet, and I yearn for quick and decisive passing, wing play, overlapping full backs, speed of thought throw ins and corners, players unafraid to dribble and take a risk, one twos, goalkeepers who throw the ball out to a midfielder rather than a centre half, mobile and risk taking players who understand that play without the ball is as important as when in possession, movement and taking defenders out of position, midfielders who don't get a nose bleed when they find themselves in the penalty area. If  a long ball to a forward is appropriate then use it, it's about decision making and adapting style to get the result.

Enough, rant over, apologies.
From one codger to another: well said, Jez!

Offline Isa

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #27 on: September 26, 2013, 09:09:02 PM »
I've noticed so far this season that we play a lot more long balls at home than we do away.

Because we can't counter as much at home and with nobody in the team seemingly possessing much of a creative spark, lumping it to Benteke is the default plan B.

Offline pauliewalnuts

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #28 on: September 26, 2013, 09:16:07 PM »
i remember under Redknapp, Spurs were amongst the most frequent players of long balls - which were almost always to Crouch to knock down for Van Der Vaart, or whoever.

It's too easy to reach for it as a stick to beat people with, because the term "long ball" can mean so many things. It can mean looking for an obvious man to hold the ball up and bring others into play - as we do with Benteke - or it can mean, at the other extreme, a 1980s Charles Hughes wet dream of whacking the ball long and playing a percentages game. These are totally different ways of playing, but can both be labelled long ball.

I am not so much bothered about what label people want to apply to the way we play, more so with the fact that, at home, we're a relegation side, whereas away from home, we're European places material.

Until we can fix that, we're going to struggle.

Offline silhillvilla

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Re: Villa's style of play
« Reply #29 on: September 26, 2013, 09:41:36 PM »
Biggest concern is Lambert reverting to this shitty narrow bollocks formation. It is complete wank and I thought he may have learned that last season. If he persists with this bullshit we are in deep trouble and I'd want him off the premises.

 


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