Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: kippaxvilla2 on September 14, 2016, 09:50:26 PM
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Utterly shit get rid.
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We have a team that could (possibly should) win this league.
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Not good enough. He has to be given time. But 1 win is pretty pathetic. Different players, but, at the moment, not a lot has changed. Difficult to understand why.
Thought Sunday was where we finally showed we could play.
Very disappointing.
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Dear oh deary me. When do we hand out the overdue thrashing then?
No home wins other than Rotherham. Absolutely poor as piss. No way on earth we're going up.
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Tactically he doesnt seem that good
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That squad should be pissing this, what the fuck is wrong.
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Unacceptable. The same mistakes made week in and week out. Other than Forest we play the same shit second half each week.
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I wonder what level we need to drop to before we start winning games with anything approaching regularity. Totally fed up with it.
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We should be an outside bet for automatic promotion. We're actually an outside bet for relegation.
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RDM gets death threat from Tony
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I find it hard to understand how so called experts paid millions a year cannot see what we all see ten minutes before the change is finally made by which time all momentum is lost. This isn't bad luck, it's poor physically, mentally. How low do we have to go on the night Leicester made their debut in the CL we struggle to a draw at home to a Nylon Company. There's a microcosm right there.
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I was listening to it on Radio WM , they absolutely loved that. Twats.
I have no idea what to say re the game. It is amazing just how much of a habit the late conceding has become. :(
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
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Garbage. Turning point in pressure on RDM now. I predict he won't be in charge come the scum match or straight after
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Rdm doesn't give a Fuk get rid off him before its to late
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Utter bollocks. RDM has to be on borrowed time. Xia didn't make all these investments to be sat firmly in the bottom half of the table. Not good enough at all.
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Unacceptable. I'm just sick of this club.
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Tactically he doesnt seem that good
Dire, plus i feel we cocked up on purchasing midfielders, and Gollini, Tommy and Chester haven't convinced me they're any good yet either.
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Tony's going to pull the trigger very soon imo
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You can't leave a player free at your back post in the last minute of a game when you've already conceeded 5 late goals in recent weeks and have two left backs on the pitch.
Play a fucking proper formation on Saturday.
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Too weak, too thick, too arrogant. We weren't prepared to fight for a win, so we didn't get it.
Get used to Championship football, because it's here to stay for at least two seasons.
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These late goals must mean it's either a fitness thing or a mental thing. Last season I'd have gone fitness but these are new players, are they mentally fragile? Should we bring in someone to help them to not be such fragile capitulators?
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Eyebrows raised at lineup, thought we'd either blow them or away and get swamped and once they got their act together we were simply overrun. Managers got it wrong again but its still too early for him to be sacked. Everyone on this thread knew what was going to happen as the game went on, I don't ever remember a side gifting as many late equalisers as we do. Four home games and six points from them is very disappointing. Two up front and two proper wingers and we'll be fine but I sure cant see us going up this year automatically. We're not a bad side now and that's the frustrating thing.
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Spending 50mil and writing off promotion in mid September
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Still unbeaten when I start a match thread so praise me.
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We could get larrupped against the Jawdies. That would be a very difficult position for Di Matteo to find himself in.
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It wasn't the inevitable late concession so much as the being outplayed for the last 55 minutes by a side tipped to finish outside the play-off places that should set alarm bells ringing. The entire staff of Villa have training facilities, lifestyles and resources beyond the wildest dreams of most of this division but organisation and bravery can't be bought so easily. The jury is clearly out on Di Matteo but you'd expect more of an influence from men with the experience of Bond and Clarke.
And how much for Jedinak?! Pardew might be a bit of a twat but he's not stupid.
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Fucking useless fuckers.
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
My reaction to the equaliser was a smile at your earlier bet suggestion rather than throwing my phone at the wall.
So we're both winners in a way.
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Just so fed up of not being able to win games. What is wrong with our football club? Never ending gloom!
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This consistent thing of dropping off in second halves is killing us week in week out. How can they not address it? Where are all these leaders we bought?
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Jedinak sounded very average tonight. Hopefully opening night nerves, otherwise we could be frigged (more than we are).
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I can't really see how it's a mental thing when we have so many new players. Dross like Westwood, sure, but in Gollini, Elphick, Chester, De Laet, Kodija, and Jedinak, it's almost an entirely new side.
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Appalling, performance shit, set up even worse. Ain't going up this year we will throw games all season, tonk someone my arsehole, it will be wake up time again like last season. Manager has failed to react this season and its costing us points. Great, looks like we've got another fucking thicko.
Complety sick of it, 4 times in 7 games already plus 2 beatings. This division isn't fun it's fucking crap and were too shit to do anything in it.
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Good job we bought all those leaders otherwise we'd be struggling.
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No team in the championship is afraid of playing us either at home or away.They can all see we are just an ordinary team who under any sort of pressure will always concert goals.
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
My reaction to the equaliser was a smile at your earlier bet suggestion rather than throwing my phone at the wall.
So we're both winners in a way.
I'll buy you a pint!
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
Fuck me! You must have been confident. I followed your tip and I'm now £15 to the good. Thanks, in a way. Wink.
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The midfield is so fucking pedestrian its like having cardboard cut outs on the pitch.
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I expected to see Championship teams park-the-bus at Villa Park, just never thought it would be Villa...shocking tactics in the 2nd half...sitting way too deep.
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I have no idea what Ipswich are like nowadays, but this stonking win we're all convinced will happen one day could do with happening on Saturday, for all our sakes.
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We could get larrupped against the Jawdies. That would be a very difficult position for Di Matteo to find himself in.
We have to get away from this mentality on the pitch.
People keep saying stuff like 'Brentford / Rotherham / Forest / Newcastle are a good side'. They are not good sides - they are at best average. We are well stocked in terms of quality players to dominate most teams in this league now. It's a mentality and organisation issue. We have 5 to 6 match winners in the squad an have bought a new defence, all proven at this level or above. If RDM can't sort it out he needs to go sooner rather than later because drifting along in the fucking championship is not an option for Aston Villa.
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Outplayed at home to Brentford. They fully deserved a result. Apart from Kod and Ayew in flashes we were fucking woeful second half.
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I was listening to it on Radio WM , they absolutely loved that. Twats.
I have no idea what to say re the game. It is amazing just how much of a habit the late conceding has become. :(
I listened and have no idea what you're on about. They commentated how shit we are, said what we all said we needed to do and stated how Brentford clearly deserved something from the game.
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There is a pattern.
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
My reaction to the equaliser was a smile at your earlier bet suggestion rather than throwing my phone at the wall.
So we're both winners in a way.
I'm hunting you two down with a sawn off shotgun (Fawlty towers reference, u think)
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Westwood keeps playing, shit keeps happening. Just saying.......
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
Fuck me! You must have been confident. I followed your tip and I'm now £15 to the good. Thanks, in a way. Wink.
Seemed like extremely generous odds as I said earlier today, very good value indeed given our track record.
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Sherwood, Remi Garde and now RDM. Why are we paying these guys to be SPECTATORS to the same bi-weekly horror show? Are we not allowed to at least expect them to TRY to change the horrible inevitable end!
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I can't really see how it's a mental thing when we have so many new players. Dross like Westwood, sure, but in Gollini, Elphick, Chester, De Laet, Kodija, and Jedinak, it's almost an entirely new side.
You're probably right, but footballers do have a reputation for being superstitious. Once it's happened once or twice, they might start waiting for it to happen anyway.
I didn't see any of tonight's game, but I've been underwhelmed with Elphick and I'm really struggling to see this spine of leaders of men we're supposed to have transplanted in. It still looks like they're playing with a live bomb once you get into the last 10 minutes and just wallop it as far away as possible.
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Outplayed at home to Brentford. They fully deserved a result. Apart from Kod and Ayew in flashes we were fucking woeful second half.
Yep again. I don't know what happens at half time but they need to change it.
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We take the lead the opposition attack we go to water, how many times do we have to see this happen? Brentford ffs we are Aston Villa nearly 30.000 turned up to watch, sorry but we are done with giving managers time, he has had all the players he wanted and still we are pissed over by teams that should not be on the same pitch as us. Too many managers given too much time only to prove they are not up to it. We are Aston Villa we deserve better.
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God tweets:
88 minute Aston Villa v Brenford a Jayus lads give us a brake ! Egan left alone on the back post not a soul near him ! Come on lads .
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
Fuck me! You must have been confident. I followed your tip and I'm now £15 to the good. Thanks, in a way. Wink.
Seemed like extremely generous odds as I said earlier today, very good value indeed given our track record.
They were. Won't be seeing anything close to 14/1 for a long time I would've thought.
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Get Dean Smith in. True Villa fan and a better fcukin organiser of teams than Di Matteo.
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Oh we are , oh we are Leeds. Sadly.
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Clearly we haven't reached the nadir of this era yet.
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
Fuck me! You must have been confident. I followed your tip and I'm now £15 to the good. Thanks, in a way. Wink.
Seemed like extremely generous odds as I said earlier today, very good value indeed given our track record.
They were. Won't be seeing anything close to 14/1 for a long time I would've thought.
Bugger, missed you post!
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I said the other day that sacking RDM now would be the stuff of Leeds, but I am starting to think that we are currently looking so much like Leeds that we might as well cut our losses.
I just can't be fucking arsed to put up with more of it. I looked at our score with half an hour to go, and despite having zero idea what was unfolding on the pitch, i KNEW we'd fail to win.
1 win so far is so far from acceptable, it is untrue.
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Westwood keeps playing, shit keeps happening. Just saying.......
Yup. Does not offer what we need. Adds no value. Has just been making up the numbers for the past few seasons.
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I feel were reminiscent of QPR when they went down. The future ain't bright
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The trouble now is that Dean Smith and every other manager know we are rubbish in second halfs. I bet at half time Smith said just keep attacking and they will cave in, guaranteed.
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The last four (five if you count Black) managers we've had seem to approach the task of setting the team up as if they were never professional footballers themselves. There's no solid defensive line of four who push up together. Square pegs are merrily put in round holes. There's no clever little tactic - like a false nine, or a midfielder who does nothing but break up play - which seem to come naturally to every other sodding chancer who dons a puffa jacket. Di Matteo is like Sherwood: we'll score one more than you, without the redeeming feature of us pulling three goals clear first.
Like everyone, I'm sick of this bollocks. What the hell happens in that dressing room at half time?
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Not surprised. We simply don't have a midfield (and have not for 3-4 years now). The reason we will continue to struggle is that we failed (again) to address that need in the window. Cannot expect defense to continually hold out when teams walk through the centre of the pitch.
I just don't understand how RDM (and several managers before him) don't see this - mind boggling!
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There's just no organsation there from RDM. We played well against Forest, but have been poor against Bristol City and now Brentford, and that isn't good enough.
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Westwood keeps playing, shit keeps happening. Just saying.......
Yup. Does not offer what we need. Adds no value. Has just been making up the numbers for the past few seasons.
Cant stand the fucker. Does fuck all and gets paid a fair bit to do fuck all.
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I said the other day that sacking RDM now would be the stuff of Leeds, but I am starting to think that we are currently looking so much like Leeds that we might as well cut our losses.
I just can't be fucking arsed to put up with more of it. I looked at our score with half an hour to go, and despite having zero idea what was unfolding on the pitch, i KNEW we'd fail to win.
1 win so far is so far from acceptable, it is untrue.
An almost carbon copy of my evening.
I wondered into the kitchen and my wife asked me the score with about 15 minutes to go. I said "1-0, but you'll hear me swear in about 10 minutes time when they equalize."
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First time tonight it sounded like the crowd turned on them at the end.
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I tell you in my view we will lose our next three which are tough games and then we will be in the mire. He's on borrowed time. The owner quite rightly isn't going to put up with this shit for long.
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Football management is either ridiculously hard or ridiculously easy. Every single person on the planet, except RDM, could see that sitting back with one up front was a fucking mistake. Or is it just not that simple? I'm baffled.
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It wasn't just second half. Last 10 mins we were wank and clinging on. Westwood was ok although he'll get pelters as usual.
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Basics. FFS
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There's just no organsation there from RDM. We played well against Forest, but have been poor against Bristol City and now Brentford, and that isn't good enough.
I agree, although who's injured now Grealish, McCormack, Adomah, Tish, De Laet? Our injuries are fucking ridiculous.
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The last four (five if you count Black) managers we've had seem to approach the task of setting the team up as if they were never professional footballers themselves. There's no solid defensive line of four who push up together. Square pegs are merrily put in round holes. There's no clever little tactic - like a false nine, or a midfielder who does nothing but break up play - which seem to come naturally to every other sodding chancer who dons a puffa jacket. Di Matteo is like Sherwood: we'll score one more than you, without the redeeming feature of us pulling three goals clear first.
Like everyone, I'm sick of this bollocks. What the hell happens in that dressing room at half time?
On the basis of what we can see with our own eyes, I'd say f¤ck all happens, apart from maybe 18 powernaps, so that when they come out they're still half asleep.
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Football management is either ridiculously hard or ridiculously easy. Every single person on the planet, except RDM, could see that sitting back with one up front was a fucking mistake. Or is it just not that simple? I'm baffled.
It's just a wankathon mate.
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First time tonight it sounded like the crowd turned on them at the end.
Well I can't speak for every Villa fan, obviously, but I'm pretty sure every Villa fan is sick of throwing points away every single match.
Boo, boo like fuck. This is shit.
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What a load of absolute shitey shite. Same shite, different day.
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£51m spent and we're defending a 1-0 lead against Brentford at home? Embarrassing and nowhere near good enough.
Patience will wear thin.
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We need time to gel. Look at how Newcastle are struggling.
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With 5 minutes to go, I went off for dinner thinking we can't fuck up again.
Serious questions need to be asked. Everybody knows you have to battle for every point in this league yet we seem to have decided to go against the grain and not buy a midfield. Strikers and attacking midfielders we have by the tonne but battlers we have one.
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
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How is the same mindset, the same mental fragilities and the same mistakes that plagued us for the last four or five seasons, how, how has that followed us, with different players, followed us into a different league? I can't fathom how such a destructive mindset has ingrained itself at the club.
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We have led in five matches this season and only won one. That is simply not good enough! Like many the forest game I had renewed hope that we were making progress and it was just down to bad luck but clearly it is not!!!!!! Tonight we were dominated for long periods.
From listening to the commentary I barely heard the names of Westwood and jedinak and I would be really interested to understand their contribution in the game from people who went? For me you can't play both as they lack mobility retreat and cause us to drop deeper and deeper. The concern is we have little alternative. The team lacks balance. We have bought a lot of quality upfront but the midfield looks very weak and that's where you win the battle
Also RDM needs to get a grip as come November of things aren't improved he will be gone. The DR won't keep standing for this
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
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1 win in 8 (Inc Luton)
4 goals conceded after 85 mins leading to 7 dropped points
Steve Clarke on bench as a ready made replacement
RDM is bang in trouble imo, we are right back to square one. A couple of more games without a win and sustained improvement and he is dispensable.
His starting line up today displayed a level of tactical naivety that Paul Lambert would struggle to surpass, it was mildly insulting to the opposition. His game management has been a joke since day one.
The so called proven performers at this level De Laet, Elphick, Chester, Jedinak and McCormack all need a serious reality check, it might have been ok as in Mccormack's case to rock up at clubs with no ambition a stone or two overweight but that should not be tolerable at AVFC (anymore).
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We need a manager that doesn't think his work is done by picking the team.
If the plan isn't working, stand the fuck up and coach from the sideline at least until it doesn't look so bloody obvious we are going to concede! Going hedgehog with a lone striker....it doesn't work when that lone striker is the least mobile man on the pitch!
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By the way did my ears deceive me or were brentfords fans singing 'boring boring Villa' towards the end?
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I've only seen the home games which up until tonight we should have won. The last 55 minutes tonight has seen my optimism evaporate, what were we doing! Brentford played with drive and at a high tempo and we just sat back and let it happen. Who was the red haired number 15 for them? We let him spray passes around all second half, never got a foot in, never got close to him. Kodjia was the only bright spot for me.
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That first half against Forest, we were as good as we've been for years. I appreciate Grealish had a knock, but where did that Aston Villa disappear to? We seem to be the masters of ignoring that old chestnut about taking one game at a time, and treating them as if they are chapters in a very long, very underwhelming modern history.
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Leaving a man unmarked at the far post is unacceptable in even the Sunday leagues.
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My positivity in the match thread went well! The boo's at the end we're coming and after Sunday they were lucky to escape with none.
Can someone please explain to me when it was that football managers/coaches stopped managing and coaching their players out of bad habits and mistakes, but instead try to use tactics to out score the opposition?
7 points lost from goals post 87 minute mark this season! It cannot continue!
Dr. Tony needs to be at Ipswich on Saturday to tell RDM face to face his expectations!
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I tell you in my view we will lose our next three which are tough games and then we will be in the mire. He's on borrowed time. The owner quite rightly isn't going to put up with this shit for long.
I can see this as well. That will 1 win in 11 and surely Roberto out the door
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
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As far as I can recall, Sherwood got until about mid-October, although the last two games of the season and the Cup Final had to have been a factor in that decision.
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I was listening to it on Radio WM , they absolutely loved that. Twats.
I have no idea what to say re the game. It is amazing just how much of a habit the late conceding has become. :(
I listened and have no idea what you're on about. They commentated how shit we are, said what we all said we needed to do and stated how Brentford clearly deserved something from the game.
5Live Xtra had the WM commentary on - somebody with Garry Thompson - and it was exactly as you describe. They both called it exactly as you say. Thompson even commented on the crowd being anxious but able to do nothing whilst the players on the pitch should sort themselves out.
They were definitely critical of Villa but rightly so. They certainly weren't loving it.
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
Yep.
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I've only seen the home games which up until tonight we should have won. The last 55 minutes tonight has seen my optimism evaporate, what were we doing! Brentford played with drive and at a high tempo and we just sat back and let it happen. Who was the red haired number 15 for them? We let him spray passes around all second half, never got a foot in, never got close to him. Kodjia was the only bright spot for me.
Ryan Woods....yes, Westwood should take a long hard look at him. The contrast between the number 15 s was alarming and Woods did simple things by making himself available, looking to release players, tracking back etc..
Agree that Kodjia was good and the rest fell short. Bacuna nor Gardner trying to block or close the cross was just typical.
The midfield formation is so weak. Two wide players and then other teams just play through the middle...and what was Amavi doing? Showing that he is no answer to the midfield problems at least.
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
Four yellow cards in seven league games, at least one of those for dissent, suggests to me his tackling is somewhat off-beam and he's still got a bit to learn about communication.
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Drapdoor more likely than promotion. Every time we think we see turning the corner ..... wank
Am seriously now worried
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Elphick looks a championship plodder, 18 months past his best perhaps.
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No question he set up to see out the second half. We handed them the initiative and put Jedinak and Westwood in front of the back four - both did what they were asked to do I thought. Consequently the gap between the forwards and the rest of the side got ever bigger.
It was a risky approach but if we get the 1-0, we kick start the season. We would have moaned about the performance but taken the points. Fine margins - Brentford had plenty of the ball but Gollini had nothing to do all game. Just an inexcusable lack of concentration at the far post when we had two left backs on the pitch.
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We rarely seemed to close the ball down all game, in fact apart from some very good individual moments we were lethargic all night. Based on that performance we did 'well' getting a point we were that poor. And the crowd definitely started turning last 15 mins, mainly because we were so poor and lethargic.
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We should be an outside bet for automatic promotion. We're actually an outside bet for relegation.
No we're not.
As for the game, frustrating yet again. There seemed to be a 'not so gung ho' plan to it tonight and whilst that's fine, we needed the second goal.
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
I am. After recent times, it's good to see commitment and real enthusiasm for the shirt. But we've all got that. I wasn't expecting McGrath, but I was kinda hoping for at least Teale.
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as LeLapin said, this has been going on for 4-5 seasons. I have said before and will go on saying it till they bring in a sports psychologist, this is a psychological problem - though tactics and selection play a part.
Every team playing us knows that one goal up, villa will fold in the second half. And conceding goals after 85 minutes - 4 times, 7 points lost - is not an accident. Blaming the manager is only valid if we accept he has not understood the basic problem - as none have done.
The team is mentally fragile. Bring in a sports psychologists so the heads are turned round and stop making basic mistakes.
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We should be an outside bet for automatic promotion. We're actually an outside bet for relegation.
No we're not.
As for the game, frustrating yet again. There seemed to be a 'not so gung ho' plan to it tonight and whilst that's fine, we needed the second goal.
I don't think it's fine at all when you're at home to fucking Brentford and have 4 strikers in the starting 11. How can you do that and then not be gung ho?
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Too many passengers second half. Westwood was so anonymous it was untrue, Gestede had one of his bambi struggling to take a shit on ice nights, and fuck knows why Ayew and Kodjia were out wide much of the game. Di Matteo has 3 games to show he can sort this. If he doesn't he will be gone. Neil Warnock would have on more points than this. Really poor.
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Frustrating. Again.
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With 5 minutes to go, I went off for dinner thinking we can't fuck up again.
Serious questions need to be asked. Everybody knows you have to battle for every point in this league yet we seem to have decided to go against the grain and not buy a midfield
Without checking, I'd bet Risso's bet winnings that we spent more on central midfielders this summer than Brentford have spent on that position in their entire history.
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Utter fucking garbage. Sack the manager now. He's not got a fucking clue. 4-2-4 with that c*** Westwood playing as a two Christ.
Tonight was absolutely woeful. As bad if not worse than anything we've seen last season.
Brentford didn't even pose a threat all game. Their final ball was abysmal, for as tidy and compact as they looked in the other two thirds. Where the fuck had Cissokho gone for the goal?
We are atrocious and getting worse. There is no chance this naive balloon has the nous to get us promoted. We will get nowhere near the top half.
What the fuck was that donkey Gestede left on the pitch for, at the expense of a genuine centre forward shunted put wide? Why the fuck is he mimicking Lambert's Bradford tactic?
We look a disjointed and unstructured mess.
How the fuck does Westwood get picked? Fresh air would be better. I'm sick of listing all he can't do, but suffice to say he first contributed something in the 77th minute when he actually won the ball.
Welcome to the bottom half of the league. A relegation battle in the 2nd Division aways. "When we gel..." fuck off. We are utter dogshite.
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Also make no mistake - Brentford worked hard and were sort of better than they should have been, but they really weren't great. The way we stood off them in awe and fear, at home, was fucking bewildering.
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I think we all seem to be forgetting we're unbeaten at home this season...
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So it sounds like another Villa midfield two got overrun in the 2nd half again? There's a shock...
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
He was another big fish in a very small pond. He's come here and it's like night and day compared to the Cherries. It's probably weighing on him. Timing I know but I would've made Jedinak captain. Get Baker in for some good old fashioned defending.
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Is this not a fitness problem? Players who worked like their lives depended on it in the first half couldn't raise a canter in the last half an hour. Huddersfield and, to a lesser extent, Forest, was the same.
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We should be an outside bet for automatic promotion. We're actually an outside bet for relegation.
No we're not.
As for the game, frustrating yet again. There seemed to be a 'not so gung ho' plan to it tonight and whilst that's fine, we needed the second goal.
I don't think it's fine at all when you're at home to fucking Brentford and have 4 strikers in the starting 11. How can you do that and then not be gung ho?
What I meant was, rather than go for all out attack, there seemed to be a bit more of a attempt to keep it a bit more tighter rather than try and score three and four. But yeah, we should be beating the likes of Brentford.
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I thought Baker should have been on when De Laet went off, simply to block it up.
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Is this not a fitness problem? Players who worked like their lives depended on it in the first half couldn't raise a canter in the last half an hour. Huddersfield and, to a lesser extent, Forest, was the same.
We can't always be the most unfit side in the league.
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Annoyed with lot of things today. Traffic coming home earlier today. Traffic going to Villa Park and traffic on the way back but most of all the utter shambolic display.
No energy.
No desire.
No rhythm.
No idea.
Totally outplayed by a mediocre second division team. FFS why do I bother??
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RDM obviously takes off his mask to reveal Paul Lambert at half time based on our abysmal second half performances. Tactically I'm not impressed by him and tonight had the hallmark of desperation to get a win.
Bournemouth didn't let Elphick go without a reason. He scares me to death and looks two kicks away from throwing Gollini under a bus. Have to say that when are playing like a bunch of headless chickens the last thing I would do is throw another on in Gary Gardner, it just compounds the issue.
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These late goals must mean it's either a fitness thing or a mental thing. Last season I'd have gone fitness but these are new players, are they mentally fragile? Should we bring in someone to help them to not be such fragile capitulators?
I've been saying for a while now that we desperately need a sports psychologist to address the issue of metal fragility. RDM's "tactics" certainly don't help either but the losing mentality that means we consistently have terrible second halves and concede so many late goals is reaching crisis point.
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Why does every team have some sort of togetherness and positivity and gumption and rev, apart from us? It's so tepid and lethargic and just so boring, the way we play. Like nobody has any energy. I just don't get it.
I'm pretty underwhelmed by our 'leaders' at the moment.
Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
He was another big fish in a very small pond. He's come here and it's like night and day compared to the Cherries. It's probably weighing on him. Timing I know but I would've made Jedinak captain. Get Baker in for some good old fashioned defending.
Worried about Elphick? Everytime the ball goes near him it's a disaster waiting to happen at the moment. He's misdirecting headers under no pressure, causing the keeper difficulties with back passes, positionally poor, lets attackers get goalside ...apart from that? Worried about Elphick? Not at all
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I thought Baker should have been on when De Laet went off, simply to block it up.
I wasn't a case of blocking it up we were being mullered in the middle of the park and for the 3/4th match running he did fuck all about it.
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So it sounds like another Villa midfield two got overrun in the 2nd half again? There's a shock...
It got worse once he "strengthened" the midfield with Gardner. I'd rather have his brother in the team and that's desperation.
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I think to play just two midfielders needs them both to be talented, seriously athletic and willing to get in and fight. We don't have that from any of our midfielders. So why set us up for that?
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With 5 minutes to go, I went off for dinner thinking we can't fuck up again.
Serious questions need to be asked. Everybody knows you have to battle for every point in this league yet we seem to have decided to go against the grain and not buy a midfield
Without checking, I'd bet Risso's bet winnings that we spent more on central midfielders this summer than Brentford have spent on that position in their entire history.
You may be right but my point was more about the other line you didn't quote, "battlers" or to be more precise, the lack of. Did RDM really think we'd hammer every team due to our fire power whilst ignoring the way you need to bloody win the ball to begin with?
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Rdm doesn't give a Fuk get rid off him before its to late
How doesn't he? I'm sure he wants to get out of the division as much as we do
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Seems the enthusiasm is being sucked out of me week by week.
I remarked to my kids at the end of the transfer window there was no prime midfield enforcer brought in - which is bit of a worry. Westwood and Gardner won't cut it. Jedinak needs a 2nd and 3rd in a MF 3 - Tshibola? But who completes the trio?
Not going to give anybody a tonking so put that out your minds - were just not clinical enough - all fur coat and no knickers.
Frankly I'm tired of being rolled over - I want us to be dirty, hard, aggressive bastards that teams shit themselves coming to vp, knowing it's going to be a bruising encounter regardless.
Where is the moment when the opposition's best player is sent sprawling a few minutes into the game - welcome to villa park.
Where is the moment that RDM realises he can't play ALL the forwards in one go.
Onto the tractors's farm where it's a 'must win' and another 0-0. Absolute shite.
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Evening all. I didn't listen to the match tonight - & frankly it doesn't sound like I missed anything that I've seen & heard far too many times before. RDM's been backed to the hilt & has already shown he doesn't appear to have what it takes to organise a team that's capable of success. I realise the players need to take some responsibility for their sub-standard performances, but the buck stops with the manager. He needs to well & truly pull his finger out. otherwise he will only have himself to blame if & when Tony provides him with the boot. Sort it out Di Matteo. FFS!!
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We should be an outside bet for automatic promotion. We're actually an outside bet for relegation.
No we're not.
As for the game, frustrating yet again. There seemed to be a 'not so gung ho' plan to it tonight and whilst that's fine, we needed the second goal.
I don't think it's fine at all when you're at home to fucking Brentford and have 4 strikers in the starting 11. How can you do that and then not be gung ho?
What I meant was, rather than go for all out attack, there seemed to be a bit more of a attempt to keep it a bit more tighter rather than try and score three and four. But yeah, we should be beating the likes of Brentford.
But I don't see how can try and keep it tight with 4 strikers from the off. It's my worry with RDM, he seems to be shoehorning players into a formation. If you want it tighter you pick the players that can do that.
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Lost all momentum after our goal and the late equaliser was inevitable. Away sides must now know that even if they concede one, as long as they keep it tight they are in with a good chance of getting something from the game. Kodjia's goal and overall performance were the only real positives for me and I still don't know why he was out wide to start with.
Finding the talk of RDM going a little premature to be honest.
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Was Mccormack injured or was that a tactical substitution?
Obvious the players were told to stop pressing after the halfway line in the second half but why?
The optimism is been ground out of me I fear that RDM might not be the man, I hope I'm wrong.
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Unacceptable. I'm just sick of this club.
This.
Get rid.
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So it sounds like another Villa midfield two got overrun in the 2nd half again? There's a shock...
It got worse once he "strengthened" the midfield with Gardner. I'd rather have his brother in the team and that's desperation.
I'd rather play his Mom in there. The bloke is shot. That pitiful excuse of a pass late on says all you need to know about him. He's League 2.
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Highlight of the night was having a quick beer with Mr Hard Boiled Eggs and his beloved. Top chap. When I checked the phone and told him we were already 1 up, we both looked at each other knowing we'd likely end up frustrated with a last minute goal.
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
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I think to play just two midfielders needs them both to be talented, seriously athletic and willing to get in and fight. We don't have that from any of our midfielders. So why set us up for that?
This.
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Watching their goal again, if anything Cissokho is one of the few who escapes blame. Chester had gone MIA again so Cissokho had to come in and challenge their forward. Amavi nowhere to be seen, Gollini rooted to line and Gardner allowed a handy cross into the box.
In a proper team, someone sees that play developing and covers for Cissokho. Good defenders anticipate the worst. Our bunch of startled earwigs would sooner hope the opposition fucks up.
The team is completely unbalanced and fucks knows where Adamoah is supposed to fit in. It's getting to the stage where it's Grealish or McCormack, Gestede or Kodija and get a third mobile midfielder in to support Jedinak and Westwood.
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Annoyed with lot of things today. Traffic coming home earlier today. Traffic going to Villa Park and traffic on the way back but most of all the utter shambolic display.
No energy.
No desire.
No rhythm.
No idea.
Totally outplayed by a mediocre second division team. FFS why do I bother??
I may be wrong, but didn't Brentford do well last season? (Or was it the season before?)
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
Sack.him before we have to do a trip to Suffolk and suffer some other no marks battering us.
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
When has he ever displayed any of those traits at AVFC. He is a useless pr*ck, hands behind his back like he is wearing a straight jacket and running around after the ball like Lassie.
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Seems the enthusiasm is being sucked out of me week by week.
I remarked to my kids at the end of the transfer window there was no prime midfield enforcer brought in - which is bit of a worry. Westwood and Gardner won't cut it. Jedinak needs a 2nd and 3rd in a MF 3 - Tshibola? But who completes the trio?
Not going to give anybody a tonking so put that out your minds - were just not clinical enough - all fur coat and no knickers.
Frankly I'm tired of being rolled over - I want us to be dirty, hard, aggressive bastards that teams shit themselves coming to vp, knowing it's going to be a bruising encounter regardless.
Where is the moment when the opposition's best player is sent sprawling a few minutes into the game - welcome to villa park.
Where is the moment that RDM realises he can't play ALL the forwards in one go.
Onto the tractors's farm where it's a 'must win' and another 0-0. Absolute shite.
Well said.
I know it comes across as a spoilt entitled fan, but what the hell, I am.
I expect Aston Villa to piss this league and I refuse to embrace a world where we will "be doing well" to get to the playoffs or even worse "stabilize" mid table.
Sod that. Our new owner has spent the money. The manager needs to start winning against the likes of Brentford at home AND comfortably.
I dont want to turn on yet another manager I really dont. But something needs to change, quickly. The owner wont, the players wont so we have to start looking at the other option. My opinion is 10 games is more than fair to judge how well he is doing. We cant afford to let it go for longer. We need to win this league, this season. Nothing less will do for me.
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When can we expect our very own sick note Tshibola to play again?
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First time tonight it sounded like the crowd turned on them at the end.
Well I can't speak for every Villa fan, obviously, but I'm pretty sure every Villa fan is sick of throwing points away every single match.
Boo, boo like fuck. This is shit.
The crowd Boo when they scored it was pathetic just frustrating all the time they deserved the point
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85th min vs Sheff Weds
86th min vs Huddersfield
87th min vs Forest
88th min vs Brentford
Looking forward to the 89th minute equaliser from Ipswich, and the 90th minute equaliser from Newcastle
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
When has he ever displayed any of those traits at AVFC. He is a useless pr*ck, hands behind his back like he is wearing a straight jacket and running around after the ball like Lassie.
I don't necessarily disagree, but you're talking about when he's played in defence. Played as a sort of even-more-twatty NRC I could see him dominating at this level.
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85th min vs Sheff Weds
86th min vs Huddersfield
87th min vs Forest
88th min vs Brentford
Looking forward to the 89th minute equaliser from Ipswich, and the 90th minute equaliser from Newcastle
Newcastle will be about 4-0 up by the 90th minute.
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McCormack and Kodjia up top, Ayew on the left of mid and Adomah on the right, job done. Di Matteo obviously wants two wingers so Cissokho and De Laet (or more likely Bacuna now) need to be able to stay disciplined and be ready to fall back when required.
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Who the fuck knows but I don't think it's a coincidence that our one win came with him in the team
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.
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It's really bugging me, but can anyone explain why we decided to sit back in the second half, and leave the most immobile player in the league up front on his own for the counter attack? What on earth was RDM thinking?
And don't get me started on Westwood. The bloke's like a fucking mirage.
Watching the Paralympics now. To see such dogged determination is humbling after the clueless shit I've just witnessed at B6.
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
When has he ever displayed any of those traits at AVFC. He is a useless pr*ck, hands behind his back like he is wearing a straight jacket and running around after the ball like Lassie.
I don't necessarily disagree, but you're talking about when he's played in defence. Played as a sort of even-more-twatty NRC I could see him dominating at this level.
He is ok at times when the ball is in front of him. Ball gets behind him and he is a joke. I couldn't see him having any of the traits we need in the team particularly in midfield. His last game at Luton taught us once again how much of a charlatan he really is. Hate seeing his name on the bench
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.
You have to wonder whether the European Champion listens to the more experienced man sitting next to him. Right now I don't believe.
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And don't get me started on Westwood. The bloke's like a fucking mirage.
We very nearly got shut of him, and then Dyche came to his senses. Though if we had agreed a deal, Westwood would probably picked up the contract, looked panicked and then passed it back to the nearest Villa official.
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I actually thought Westwood played o.k tonight....
A very poor second half performance. That said I actually thought we'd get away with it as unlike Huddersfield Brentford never really looked like scoring for all their pressure 2nd half.
But we didn't and more points dropped.
Team looked unbalanced again and it then completely went to pot when McCormack went off.
Don't like Gestede starting either...never does much when he's in from the start (apart from Rotherham) and we don't have a similar option to come off the bench.
Play Kodjia through the middle...it isn't difficult for your 3m a year Robbie.....
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
How desperate. 50mil spent and calling for his return
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So we didn't lose, our defenders didn't cover a critical area during a corner and the majority opinion is the manager needs the boot?
A touch of reality wouldn't go amiss, we have been shit for a few seasons, we have a nearly new team, this is not a quick fix.
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Followed on the match thread and left the house with 10 mins left and knew by the time I'd got to work we'd have blown it.
. 1 win in 7, 7 points dropped already in the last 5 mins of games and the performances have been largely good. Lord help us when we actually start playing poorly.
No where near good enough. No where fucking near.
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Brentford were very ordinary like most teams we've played this season. Bollocks did they dominate us it was just a poor game I thought with our manager getting it totally wrong with his line up tactics and subs. Am stunned JK was not played centrally.
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Yet another manager making baffling decisions that the fans can see aren't going to work. £12m big Mobil centre forward pushed out wide to accommodate panto donkey because he came on and did well for 20 mins as an impact sub. Rdm is bizarre we have no chance with him, we will never have a solid team under him, has no idea how to shut a game down. Still laughing at the 4-2-4 clownishness.
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Roberto Di Matteo chatted to the press following the 1-1 draw with Brentford.
His views are below.
On how the squad is feeling…
Obviously we’re not happy with the result – and the second half as well.
We wanted to go on and score the second goal.
But we let them really get on the ball with too much space and time, which we prevented in the first half.
We let them get into having more of a share of the ball.
We have lost two points really.
On solving the nervousness…
You have to work through it.
It looks like there is a barrier that we have to break through.
It’s the fact that we are going into a lead but we have not managed to see it out.It’s recurrent.
The last 10 minutes were a little bit nervous.
So it’s something you need to get through, there’s no other solution.
Obviously we will analyse but the only way to overcome it is to go on and win a game 1-0, 2-1 or whatever it is – and see a lead out.
KodjiaBrentfordMainOn the first goal...
We went ahead with a fantastic goal from Jonathan Kodjia.
I thought he was always very dangerous playing off the right. He showed a lot of qualities.
But we started the game well.
In the first half, we created a number of chances – not as many as usual.
We didn’t quite manage to dominate or hold on to the ball in the second half as we would have liked.
On the responsibilities for the late goal...
I always think it’s the defensive organisation of the team.
On Sunday, we should have scored probably five goals but you’re looking at a draw.
We certainly have to improve in that way – be more clinical when we get those chances.
It’s also about being able to defend certain situations as a team.
We had plenty of players there – we could have blocked the cross, we could have won the header at the far post – there were many aspects.
On whether there’s a nervousness with the crowd…
No. I don’t think so.
They were terrific on Sunday. Tonight they were good.
There’s nothing in that.
On injuries…
Jack Grealish has a problem with his hamstring. He couldn’t make it for the game this evening.
Ross McCormack got a knock on his knee and we had to take him off at half-time. We will have to assess him.
Ritchie De Laet is in quite a bit of pain right now. By clearing the ball on the far post, he clattered into another player. We will have to see tomorrow what the scan says.
On needing a win…
I don’t mind if it’s ugly or attractive…any way.
The Championship is a marathon. There are so many games so we have time to catch up.
Roberto Di Matteo
On keeping pace with the top of the table…
We are conscious of that, even though it’s early on.
We are conscious of the fact that we need to get a win under our belt which will help us massively.
The Championship is a marathon. There are so many games so we have time to catch up.
We always knew it’s a team in transition and we have to build.
I am very frustrated we don’t have more points on the board but we have to keep going and get better and more resilient and more clinical in front of the goal.
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Rdm doesn't give a Fuk get rid off him before its to late
How doesn't he? I'm sure he wants to get out of the division as much as we do
I dare say he does, and I really don't think he doesn't give a fk. But something that's struck me since his prior achievement of said goal is the quality of the football from, regularly, at least 2 of the 3 promoted sides. I think he's expecting to bludgeon sides with a fairly agricultural 424, but they're perhaps a little more canny than in the past. Most side's eyes must light up when they see our teamsheet. Starve our front 4 by smothering the midfield 2, get them both playing on top of their own centre-halves, and a point, minimum, is yours. Even a bunch of cloggers in Forest persevered and got something. It's no coincidence that we've dropped so many late points, we're overrun and fooked by 85 minutes.
It's not working, and if he can't/won't change things around, then maybe his days are numbered.
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.
Some have said 'stick with the current manager' for years.
Fuck, some were still backing Lambert right up to the day he went.
If it clearly isn't working, do something about it.
I feel dirty for saying it but I'd bring in Bruce.
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Is anyone else starting to wonder about how decent a player Elphick is, for all that "he's a leader" stuff?
How can you say that, he's got the most important attribute you need to play football in this country, PASSION.
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You know things are bad when Brentford fans - that's Brentford fans - are chanting 'boring,boring Villa'. And they weren't wrong. One bit of quality in an otherwise shapeless, laboured,insipid performance. There's so much wrong - yes we missed Grealish but I'm fed up of saying week in week out that any midfield that has Westwood in it is asking for trouble. There was a stark contrast between him - loitering around, marking empty space as opposition players go past him, pointing and moving the ball swiftly sideways or backwards - and their number 15 Woods (or that little ginger cnut as the chap behind me kept calling him) who bossed the midfield with energy and movement. And Gardner seems to find a simple pass to one of our players simply beyond him. And why do we sit so deep and invite pressure - that's either poor tactics from RDM or a weak midfield which is picked by RDM. We all knew the goal was coming and fortunately clung on for a point. Against Brentford. Seven points in seven games is relegation form and something needs to change quick.
And having spent two and a quarter hours getting home through town on Sunday I decided to head for the M6 Jnc 7 - got there in great time only to find Traffic England had closed access to the M6/M5 there as well so ended up on a scenic tour of Sandwell to get to the M5. Perfect end to a perfect evening
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Sticking with people who repeat the same mistakes gets you the same results. There's no doubt in my mind that if there's any more fuck ups the next couple of games the Dr will rightly pull the trigger and try someone else. This is basic stuff rdm is ballsing up.
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THE FUCKING USELESS ARSEHOLES.
I'm sorry, just had to get that off my chest. I can sleep now. Good night.
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I think we'll stay up
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This current manager will be gone by Christmas.
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I think we'll stay up
Agreed, there are 3 worse teams in the league, aren't there? Please say there are.
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This current manager will be gone by Christmas.
I think if things continue as they are he'll be gone well before Christmas. If we're still around 17th and we lose to Blues I think he'll go.
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Marc Albrighton is scoring goals in the fucking champions league and we're fucking shipping goals to settle for a point in the Championship.
God I am fuming.
There is no rock bottom with this club. There are just incompetent assholes everywhere. I'm done making excuses for di Matteo. If you can't win A GAME after splashing £50m then you're doing something wrong. Discipline, tactics, conditioning.. I don't give a rat's arse, FIGURE IT OUT. That starting 11 was a total shot in the dark. Goal scorers all over the park and you manage 1 completely individual goal.
He's got three more games for me, and if any of those three see dropped points in the last 10 minutes get him tf out.
This is a joke. I thought this was going to be a tough league, but it's NOT. We're just ill prepared and have no gumption.
Shut it down and see out a game you pussies. Dropping back at home up 1-0 to Brentford on 60 minutes is a crime.
This is Aston Villa.
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Watching their goal again, if anything Cissokho is one of the few who escapes blame. Chester had gone MIA again so Cissokho had to come in and challenge their forward. Amavi nowhere to be seen, Gollini rooted to line and Gardner allowed a handy cross into the box.
In a proper team, someone sees that play developing and covers for Cissokho. Good defenders anticipate the worst. Our bunch of startled earwigs would sooner hope the opposition fucks up.
The team is completely unbalanced and fucks knows where Adamoah is supposed to fit in. It's getting to the stage where it's Grealish or McCormack, Gestede or Kodija and get a third mobile midfielder in to support Jedinak and Westwood.
The goal was terrible marking. the bloke who scored is a centre half ffs although good finish.
We actually should've had a free kick 30 seconds before, high kick on Jedinak which somehow wasn't a foul. The ref then gave an identical one against Jedinak two minutes later.
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By the way did my ears deceive me or were brentfords fans singing 'boring boring Villa' towards the end?
Yep. I felt like joining in. There was a point just before the hour mark - by which time we'd already started trying to time waste - where we managed an attack. Not a speedy breakaway but a bit of passing and a run down the left. Got to their box, looked up to find no options and were eventually crowded out. Not really surprising as six - count them, SIX - of our outfield players were standing round the centre circle. Three were still in our half.
It was so obviously the tactics they'd been given because no-one on or off the pitch suggested any of the half dozen offered support to the attack. For 45 minutes we decided to defend our third of the pitch... Against Brentford... At home. We were lucky to draw.
Their fans called it right. It wasn't that we were comically bad, unlucky, ran out of steam, up against world beaters or any other possible excuse. We decided to hold on to what we had from the moment we got the call to leave the dressing room for the second half. They decided to have a go at breaking us down and showed a bit of intelligence to their play. Their players were intelligent and committed. We were boring and mediocre. Given the amount of space and possession we were willing to give to Brentford after the break, our defence could probably argue they did well to only concede once.
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Problem is the midfield. We do well enough when we are not in the lead cause the opposition have to respect our forwards and tend to be cautious. When we go in front, they have to make a move and find out that Gardner is joke, Westwood is still Westwood and Jedinak is a tough guy that anyone with a pulse can outrun. Trying to push for a 2nd goal based on that midfield is like trying for an Ace with a tennisracket with no strings...defending with that midfield is like returning a serve with the same stringless tennisracket.
So we still short at least 2 decent midfielders, there must something to be done cause we cant keep putting Gardner and Westwood on the pitch again and again and expecting different results, that is literally the very definition of idiocy!!
Loans, Youth players...anything! Please!
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The angriest I've been at a game for quite a while, the first time I've booed the team at the end ever too. Frustrating, massively frustrating. RDM needs to sort this shit out sharpish. We were constantly so narrow, we constantly allowed a ginger kid for them time and time again the freedom of the park to orchestrate proceedings. That's nothing to do with our players it's all to do with our tactics. Jesus Christ how difficult is it? This is what they're doing, this is how we need to counter act what they're doing and then impose it! We all can see it why can't RDM?
We were lucky to get a point because had they had a half decent finisher they should have been 2-1 up at half time. And I'm not buying that "this team needs time to gel' bullshit tonight. We have players with the ability and nous to perform much much better. Another thing, how the fuck did Amavi cost £10 million?
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By the way did my ears deceive me or were brentfords fans singing 'boring boring Villa' towards the end?
Yep. I felt like joining in. There was a point just before the hour mark - by which time we'd already started trying to time waste - where we managed an attack. Not a speedy breakaway but a bit of passing and a run down the left. Got to their box, looked up to find no options and were eventually crowded out. Not really surprising as six - count them, SIX - of our outfield players were standing round the centre circle. Three were still in our half.
It was so obviously the tactics they'd been given because no-one on or off the pitch suggested any of the half dozen offered support to the attack. For 45 minutes we decided to defend our third of the pitch... Against Brentford... At home. We were lucky to draw.
Their fans called it right. It wasn't that we were comically bad, unlucky, ran out of steam, up against world beaters or any other possible excuse. We decided to hold on to what we had from the moment we got the call to leave the dressing room for the second half. They decided to have a go at breaking us down and showed a bit of intelligence to their play. Their players were intelligent and committed. We were boring and mediocre. Given the amount of space and possession we were willing to give to Brentford after the break, our defence could probably argue they did well to only concede once.
They first started that before the hour mark, when it it was clear to anybody at the side of the pitch that we had everybody camped deep in our own half.
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First time I've been to Villa Park this season. My thoughts:
Gollini - doesn't fill me with too much confidence, but he's young so has time to develop
De Laat - I was impressed with his pace. We need to have him as our out ball instead off Cissokko.
Centre Halves - neither of them are tall, pacy or fill me with confidence. A decent striker will make mincemeat of them
Cissokko - gets far too tight to his player, giving silly free kicks away. Not sure what happened before he collapsed, but he was too tight. Too often sits back when he could and should overlap
Westwood - there was a laughable moment where we lost possession after a corner and he found himself in the right back position, tracking a runner. He pointed behind him for this player to be picked up, yet HE was the man in the position, there was no one there. He's neat and tidy in a sideways type of way. He couldn't spot an incisive pass in a gazillion days
Jedniak - I thought he was tidy enough. Again, he was a little too inclined to play it square. Prior to the decent ball out to Kodja he missed another decent run by McCormack. I think he will look much better with Tshibola.
Ayew - I spent most of the evening shaking my head at him, he's a strange player. After 50 odd mins he was dawdling to take a corner....wtf is all that about. Gets moved up front second half yet moves back to left hand side, lea img Gestede on his own
Kodja - wonderful goal, looked a menace all game, yet pushed out wide right. Man of the match
McCormack - the only one to actually look to move to receive a pass. Unfortunately, we didn't have the vision to pick him out when he found space. We need to get more out of him.
Gestede - decent flicks but utter gash on the floor. Missed an easy chance in first half when he practically passed it back to the keeper.munlucky with a header too. Had nobody close to him second half.....no point playing him in that scenario
Bacuna - didn't think he did too badly, though his pathetic cross when Kodja was unmarked and clear in the middle was amateur level. That would have made it 2-0'and game over. Less than 5 min later they were level
Amavi - what a fanny. Over playing, knocking simple falls down the line, out and looking like he could not be arsed. Why didn't he shoot when he was 1 on 1 :-(
Boring boring Villa indeed. Dawdling to take corners, almost as if we were killing time?!?! What's all that about.
Why are we retreating and not pressing them when the ball goes to their keeper. I could think of at least 4 occasions when the Holte End showed their disapprovement. Why don't they learn???
Villa Park is like no other ground when the players n fans are in unison. At no point did the players try to get the fans excited, so it therefore turned into a bit of a morgue.
Formation is not good enough. RDM will probably say he's doing all he can to win, as he's playing 4 strikers. There is no decent movement (apart from McCormack), and our midfield/ defence would probably struggle to see it regardless. Playing with Gestede on his own when there was nobody close to him was pathetic.
I can see Dr Tony axing RDM, as this just isn't good enough.
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It was ghastly. I predict sub 20000 gates before too long.
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No chance, that would mean virtually no away fans or game by game fans.
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I predict twelvety unless they classify everybody as school children and discount accordingly.
Seriously though, I was in K5 tonight, and looking over to where I usually go in P6, primo seats on the half way line, there were vast swaves of emptiness.
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You'd think that no matter how bad we are or how shite we're playing, the sheer mathematics of the law of averages would once, JUST ONCE, allow us to hold on to a lead ffs!
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Haven't seen the game but bizarrely I feel less frustrated than usual. The stats suggest Brentford played better on the night so fair play to them. Don't feel I can complain if they deserved it. It's far more frustrating when we piss all over a team and don't win. That said I didn't sit through it thankfully
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the curse of lambert lives on oh for a real manager with a game plan
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
As ideas go that's pretty terrible
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To play four forwards those two central midfielders behind them have to be top drawer. Ours aren't.
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I didn't watch the game, apart from the goals, what gets me is the replies on here are pretty unanimous in that Brentford were the better team and running through our midfield at will, yet Tony Cottee watching the match in SSN repeatedly said Brentford offered nothing and we looked comfortable throughout, bit then again he did also say Brentford never looked like scoring, 2 minutes before they scored.
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Somebody on the match thread mentioned sticking Richards in the midfield with a brief to just be there, chase the ball and then keep it. Not a bad idea at this stage I reckon. We might as well use him while we're paying him.
As ideas go that's pretty terrible
That may have been me. It was just because we were getting swamped again in midfield, we could have used someone with some legs and energy to compete. We had no one on the bench who could do this, hence my desperation. I don't want Richards in the Villa squad, I just want to win for once.
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shoehorning too many attackers into the side
playing 4 2 4
conceding late goals
poor fitness levels
taking our foot off the gas second half
not being clinical in front of goal
being light in central midfield
poor in game management
lack of defensive awareness
i just wish i knew what the problem was
rdm will be gone by the end of october
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.
Some have said 'stick with the current manager' for years.
Fuck, some were still backing Lambert right up to the day he went.
If it clearly isn't working, do something about it.
I feel dirty for saying it but I'd bring in Bruce.
As disappointing a start as it's been, it's virtually a new club from the chairman down to the players so we need to stick with it. Making changes after 7 games would be such a unnecessary knee jerk reaction and totally the wrong one too.
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For some reason, this result has pissed me off more than any I can recall for ages. Today's been just a total downer.
Thanks again Villa you tosspots.
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I was watching Gomorrah on DVD. The football app on my phone went 'Bing!' to tell me someone had scored. I checked my phone, and saw we were one up. Later on the phone went 'Bing!' again. I didn't even look at the screen as I could have put my house on the score being level.
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We were ok first half without ever dominating. Second half we were mostly second best save for a short spell after Amavi came on. For all that we probably had the better chances over the whole game. They deserved to get something from the game so one Villa fan went home happy at least.
The team just looked unbalanced, too early to panic but he needs to get a better balance in midfield and perhaps be slightly less gung-ho with selections.
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Gardner was shocking for the brief time he was on. Gave the ball away needlessly. Brentford's players zipped the ball around with speed and skill. Most of our players looked ponderous, lacked confidence and worringly unfit to last the full 90 minutes. I think Carles Gil would've stood out in this league.
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Hilarious 'Mind the Gap!' Championship table SHA compared to Aston Villa meme doing rounds on Facebook now.
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I know it's really early days,just wonder why Bakers not getting a game having performed really well in the championship last year, also there must be a midfielder in u23 squad to play 3 in midfield for balance. Finally I wonder if C Clark has ever played in a team that's won 6 on the bounce? it's still hurting
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We were ok first half without ever dominating. Second half we were mostly second best save for a short spell after Amavi came on. For all that we probably had the better chances over the whole game. They deserved to get something from the game so one Villa fan went home happy at least.
The team just looked unbalanced, too early to panic but he needs to get a better balance in midfield and perhaps be slightly less gung-ho with selections.
Yep and he also needs to get the team to stop sitting back on a lead. We are getting punished every game, because once we take the lead we don't take the game to the opposition and finish them off.
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I think he will get to the international break and if we haven't won any by then it could be the end. He got Smethwick up with 100 points playing gung ho football. I just think the league has moved on since then. Teams more closely matched. Teams more tactical and ready to sit in. You have to grind a good few results out. I remember Burnley did that a lot last year.
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Typical Villa - we get the much-vaunted "mid-table mediocrity" a season too late!
On a balmy night in B6 with a decent crowd in the Holte I watched Brentford run and tackle as if their lives depended on it. The wee ginger lad ran the show (just like the Huddersfield game's bald fella) and we had no answer to him (RDM tell someone to stay on him?). No pressure, no closing down - pathetic.
I know Kadjia score a great goal and had good touches but there was a move in the second half when Ayew (?) nicked the ball, passed to Amavi and he set off - he arrived at the box and there was no Villa player within 30 yeards - K wasn't even jogging forward. Not picking on him because they were all lacklustre.
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It's garbage . No obvious formation , too slow , players who haven't got the guts / skill to receive the ball and turn towards goal. Almost every pass is back toward our own goal .
Wood (the ginger haired lad in midfield) was head and shoulders the best player on the park .
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What I don't get with his tactics is he plays four forwards but then when we go a goal up we sit back? Surely if you play with four forwards your idea is to kick on when you score and try and get three or four. Why play that formation if your aim is to defend a 1-0 lead?
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I think to play just two midfielders needs them both to be talented, seriously athletic and willing to get in and fight. We don't have that from any of our midfielders. So why set us up for that?
This.
also agreed......how hard is this managing larky?
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I'm sure RDM thinks with the 4 attackers we have, including some of the most successful forwards this division has seen over the last couple of years, that teams will fear us and we'll be pinning them back all game. Hence the neglect of the midfield during rebuilding.
Problem is, we are the equivalent of the cowardly lion in Wizard of Oz. We start games well ("put em up, put em uuup") but as soon as the opposition decides to have a go we cower, lose all nerve and end up chewing on our tail.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, 4-2-4 or 4-2-3-1 needs to be kicked into the long grass for the forseeable. Need to shore up that midfield, god knows who with though.
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What I don't get with his tactics is he plays four forwards but then when we go a goal up we sit back? Surely if you play with four forwards your idea is to kick on when you score and try and get three or four. Why play that formation if your aim is to defend a 1-0 lead?
We're the worst of both worlds. Start with too many strikers, score first, but then fail to capitalise and score more. Invite inevitable pressure and unable temperamentally and formation wise to hold on.
If we're playing gung ho we need to score a few not sit back. If we're trying to nick a goal and sit on it we need to dig in and make sensible substitutions.
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We have a team that could (possibly should) win this league.
No we don't.
The squad is totally unbalanced. We're weak in midfield and shaky at the back. The attackers aren't performing well enough to compensate.
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Yes I'm starting to think we spent the money poorly. Jedi and the 2 centre backs looked like the best business but have been extremely disappointing so far.
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Regardless of what we might all think about the situation, I don't imagine Xia will be prepared to put up with shit like this for too long. He's going to want to see some return on his investment, pronto. We've got the players for this league.
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Jedinak will be fine with a proper partner in there with him. Beard aside, he had presence in the midfield in the first half, actually made some tackles, and kicked the ball forwards occasionally, unlike Willow the Wisp Westwood.
We didn't possess a proper midfield, and I will grow to be a shrivelled, dusty husk of the man I am now before I understand why we sat back for an entire half, at home, to Brentford, with three strikers in the team, and the most immobile one on the planet up front on his own.
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I think we should also note that there were a number of midfield options unavailable last night, which while not excusing the second half performance does at least offer some mitigation.
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I thought De Laet was really good until he went off. Gestede showed that he's better coming off the bench (I actually forgot at one point that he was on the pitch) and I was really impressed with Kodija. Westwood should out the team as soon as Tshibola is fit. He has no midfield presence at all.
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I think the problem with Westwood is that when the team are on top he can look OK by being available for the pass and keeping the ball moving. The difficulties arise when we get pushed back as he disappears.
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Jedinak wins most things and has a genuine presence. He keeps it simple, but actually played a killer ball or two. He played on his own though, as unless Tshibola plays, we should have three centrally. We have no pace, drive or athleticism to move the ball forwards without him. I'd have Bacuna in there with a three as at least he can do something going forwards. Westwood and Gardner are utter mince.
Last night was truly atrocious. What makes it worse is that Brentford were poor in the final third. They created nothing save a Hogan back pass in the first half and a long range effort after they'd scored. Their crossing was awful and they applied no pressure in the final third. It wasn't wave of attack, it was nice compact shape when defending and sideways in front of us, no penetration passing, yet we panicked. That is down to RDM and his clueless set up.
4-2-4 was ridiculously unbalanced. Gestede is a bench player. Kodjia looks an absolute menace. Get him up top and play Ayew one side and Adomah/Grealish the other. You might get away with McCormack in the hole [don't bother, he'll out think us Saturday] if we have Tshibola in the midfield, otherwise, its either or on a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1. Second half we declared against the might of Brentford. A club from a town the size of Halesowen. An absolute embarrassment.
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The main priority is to get the midfield sorted - everyone seems to agree on it.
Somewhat ironically the template, although a bit old fashioned, is equally know to all of us.
2 central midfielders, a workhorse on the right, flair on the left ... Number 9 up front with a second striker playing off him.
We've got the personnel, though sadly not quite as good as the ones who played this way before and a trophy or two.
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We tried that 442 in the second half. That's what the second half was. And it was horrible.
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With the wrong personnel though.
Amavi looked unfit and poor.
Ayew is not suited to playing the wide midfield workhorse.
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I don't think I've been so pissed off at a result since the cup final.
We have now played 7 sides I haven't been at all impressed by and have amassed just seven points, it simply isn't good enough.
I thought the side looked unbalanced at the start and so it proved, the gung ho team selection wasn't matched by the tactics, if he wants to settle for a one-nil win then that's fine but set the team and the tactics to achieve that. In only one of Gestede's appearances for us(Rotherham) has he looked like he can hold the ball up, he can flick it on and attack crosses but he needs players around him, players he didn't get around him last night and it wasn't changed quickly enough. If you want to pack the midfield, fine, but don't pack it with fucking strikers.
If you take away the chest-thumping and goal-post headbutting, has Elphick actually improved us? Also, was that a typical Jedinak performance? I ask as he was impressive at influencing play when the ball was near him but he didn't look very mobile or energetic in getting about to impose himself.
If any of us kept making the same costly mistakes at work we'd be soon out on our ear but, come the last few minutes, comes a goal against us. I've been banging on about this for ages but they aren't fit enough, are more knackered than the opposition so lose concentration and concede late goals.
I like RDMs idea of attacking formations but he needs to get the defence and midfield right so the attacking players can shine, Kodja looks a find, imagine what he could do if he only had to beat one player to get a shot away rather than 6/7 like last night.
Useless.
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We tried that 442 in the second half. That's what the second half was. And it was horrible.
Perhaps that could be attributed to personnel rather than formation. Amavi's introduction did bring a small, temporary improvement but through the middle it was generally one paced and immobile and I think that was our downfall, their movement and flexibility just ran us ragged.
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Oh yes Amarvi's was a horrible performance, weak, slow and ineffective. I'll give him a pass given the injury though.
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Disappointed again we throw away a lead in the last few minutes when will we ever learn.
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I wonder what level we need to drop to before we start winning games with anything approaching regularity.
Maybe Villa could play that team that Bromsgrove beat 13-0
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No, Amavi was the supposed 'workhouse' defensive player and Ayew the flair guy (why does it have to be right workhouse and left flair? Because of Brenner and Morley?), and it was terrible. If they aren't the right players for those roles then we don't have anyone for them, cause they won't be better tbh.
Chris, being outmanoeuvred by Brentford at home isn't going to be helped by going to a formation from the eighties. It amazes me that people look at our squad, look at the performances, check the date, and say 'yeah, 4-4-2 with the workhorse and the rigidity and lack of ambition and the misery'. It won't work.
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If you take away the chest-thumping and goal-post headbutting, has Elphick actually improved us?
We now draw games we would have lost last season?
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I said at half time we might be ahead, but we are playing like individuals rather than a team, and that's no way to win a game. Most teams in this league aren't mugs, they don't have as much quality as us, but they are willing to stick their necks on the line and all know their roles in the team and formation they are playing.
Playing 2 CMs against 3 regularly especially when ours are two from Jedinak, Gardner and Westwood who all lack pace and legs is laughable. 4-4-2 might work if Tshibola is one of the two and we have a bit more balance on the wings (not playing your £11m striker there, he should be upfront). If not, 4-3-3 with options from Jedinak, Westwood (will look OK in a 3), Tshibola and even Bacuna rather than the useless Gardner is the way to go.
RDM needs to sort out the shape and balance quickly, Xia quite rightly won't stand for months of the current crap, we don't have to worry about that. There'll be no Lerner/Lambert scenario here, you don't spend £50m to bumble around in mid-table with Burton and Brentford.
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No, Amavi was the supposed 'workhouse' defensive player and Ayew the flair guy (why does it have to be right workhouse and left flair? Because of Brenner and Morley?), and it was terrible. If they aren't the right players for those roles then we don't have anyone for them, cause they won't be better tbh.
Chris, being outmanoeuvred by Brentford at home isn't going to be helped by going to a formation from the eighties. It amazes me that people look at our squad, look at the performances, check the date, and say 'yeah, 4-4-2 with the workhorse and the rigidity and lack of ambition and the misery'. It won't work.
Yes, of course I agree that 442 is not the way to go. I think we need Jedinak + 1 sitting and then it is a question of getting the balance right in front of that. It should not be beyond the manager to fashion an effective combination from the players he has assembled although it would help enormously if more of them could stay fit and allow some consistency of selection.
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I think we'll stay up
Agreed, there are 3 worse teams in the league, aren't there? Please say there are.
Hope springs eternal, so it's said ::)
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He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.
He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.
It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.
And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.
Some have said 'stick with the current manager' for years.
Fuck, some were still backing Lambert right up to the day he went.
If it clearly isn't working, do something about it.
I feel dirty for saying it but I'd bring in Bruce.
As disappointing a start as it's been, it's virtually a new club from the chairman down to the players so we need to stick with it. Making changes after 7 games would be such a unnecessary knee jerk reaction and totally the wrong one too.
While I agree it seems too early for wholesale changes Clampy, how long can the present situation be allowed to go on? The manager has to do something to improve the players confidence and not keep dropping deeper and deeper in the second half, inviting more and more pressure on the defence.
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There's almost an element of fantasy football about it. Loads a money loads of attackers, goals galore put them to the sword but no practical thinking and sending out sides drilled in a set way playing in positions they know.
Its a new team its not going to help them if they cant even fall back on playing in positions they train in and are comfortable in for some of them. Will kodjia have ever played wide right in his life? Have no idea but its certainly not the position we bought him for. I doubt hes spent the week learning about that position
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I don't think that the shape was necessarily the biggest problem last night. The lack of intensity in the second half, both with and without the ball, was alarming. It was the lack of in-game management, both from the players and RDM, that cost-us again.
Against Forest, it was obvious that we needed another central midfielder on the pitch after taking the lead. Last night, Bacuna for McCormack was the obvious change to make without affecting the balance in the side too much. There should have been a shift in the team's mentality last night to keep possession better in the second half, and it was almost like that message hadn't been conveyed. Throw-ins, for example, were like the bad old days of Paul Lambert, where's there's literally nobody showing for the ball and we lose possession within 2 seconds.
There's plenty of experience in the team now, so why are we still making these elementary mistakes?
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And don't get me started on Westwood. The bloke's like a fucking mirage.
We very nearly got shut of him, and then Dyche came to his senses. Though if we had agreed a deal, Westwood would probably picked up the contract, looked panicked and then passed it back to the nearest Villa official.
Big hand clappy thing. He was the worst player on the pitch last night.
He should become a policeman, the fucker only ever arrives once the crime has been committed.
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I thought he was OK, more tenacious than Sunday.
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Yes, of course I agree that 442 is not the way to go. I think we need Jedinak + 1 sitting and then it is a question of getting the balance right in front of that. It should not be beyond the manager to fashion an effective combination from the players he has assembled although it would help enormously if more of them could stay fit and allow some consistency of selection.
Ah fair enough. Yes I agree - perhaps we could tweak it by bringing Jack in as the central one of the attacking midfield three, so it can switch more easily to a 433 when we don't have the ball? I mean, he's not Pogba is our Jack, but he's more a midfielder than Ayew or Ross.
I agree with most that's been said though - even more than the system it was the timidity and meekness that was kind of shocking, not to mention being about as calm on the ball as an electrified rabbit. With the money that's been spent the performances should be better - and the results should be a lot better.
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No, Amavi was the supposed 'workhouse' defensive player and Ayew the flair guy (why does it have to be right workhouse and left flair? Because of Brenner and Morley?), and it was terrible. If they aren't the right players for those roles then we don't have anyone for them, cause they won't be better tbh.
Chris, being outmanoeuvred by Brentford at home isn't going to be helped by going to a formation from the eighties. It amazes me that people look at our squad, look at the performances, check the date, and say 'yeah, 4-4-2 with the workhorse and the rigidity and lack of ambition and the misery'. It won't work.
Doesn't have to left flair/right workhorse - but the balance of having 3 solid midfielders + 1 who can be more adaptable makes sense.
Either way, for me it was more down to personnel last night rather than the basic idea.
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McCormack is becoming a bit of a worry, he's the one that's really being shoe-horned in, he's not quick enough to make a difference out wide and not strong enough to play centrally with his back to goal.
Lets hope it clicks soon.
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yes, before we start looking forward to our cup final with Coventry
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Grealish as the ACM in a three centrally is a decent shout. Jedinak sitting, and someone energetic infront of him (Tshibola if fit), would have to be Bacuna if not.
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McCormack is becoming a bit of a worry, he's the one that's really being shoe-horned in, he's not quick enough to make a difference out wide and not strong enough to play centrally with his back to goal.
Lets hope it clicks soon.
I think he needs players on the same wavelength as him, Gestede clearly is not that. I think he had Grealish work well at times we just need Tshibola to do the same.
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The really, really stupid thing was, with Just-Head up front on his own, Brentford knew there was no chance of us breaking. They could relax and push us back at their leisure. That was staggering, a bit like our unfit players in the last 20 minutes.
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All this should've been sorted pre season.
What is Steve Clarke bringing to the table.
Change the manager now before its too late.
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The squad is incredibly imbalanced, way too many forwards. You've got Ayew out of position and McCormack forcing us to play a specific way.
4-2-3-1 might work when we're playing well, but it's way too open. 433, Jedinak, Tish and Westwood with Adomah on the right, Kodj through the middle and whoever of the number 10s playing from the left.
You'll never get Grealish, Ayew and McCormack in the same side successfully. IMO.
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Think we missed Grealish hugely - anyone know why he wasn't in the squad last night?
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Well we did against Forest, and we battered them senseless for most of the match. We just need to find a way to make ourselves less easily contested against - and drop Westwood to the bottom of a well.
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Think we missed Grealish hugely - anyone know why he wasn't in the squad last night?
Hamstring
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Think we missed Grealish hugely - anyone know why he wasn't in the squad last night?
Hamstring problem.
There was me thinking after all I had read on here that Jedinak was going to boss the midfield. He beat Westwood on points though.
Amavi & Gardner - not up to the job.
Not looking too good is it?
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I actually thought Jedi was pretty good. His pressing was much much better and he was fine defensively, especially when you consider we were only playing him as the one in midfield.
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Can't see a win coming in the next 2 matches either.
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The really, really stupid thing was, with Just-Head up front on his own, Brentford knew there was no chance of us breaking. They could relax and push us back at their leisure. That was staggering, a bit like our unfit players in the last 20 minutes.
And not playing our most effective forward, Kodjia, right in the middle! On fitness it was alarming how our players faded away post 60+ and bringing on an unfit Amavi did not help at all.
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I actually thought Jedi was pretty good. His pressing was much much better and he was fine defensively, especially when you consider we were only playing him as the one in midfield.
I think Jedi will work very well with 3 in middle in a 433 however not sure if we have the players to do that.
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Still, £1,300 win from the bookies softens the blow somewhat.
My reaction to the equaliser was a smile at your earlier bet suggestion rather than throwing my phone at the wall.
So we're both winners in a way.
I'll buy you a pint!
What odds did you get Risso?
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Can't see a win coming in the next 2 matches either.
Well if we don't ....I am afraid he has to go.
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Jack in the middle. That's my new drum and I'm banging it.
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There was quite an exodus from the stands when their goal went in. The sound of upturned seats banging - like a toll of doom.
Oh and typical of Villa, we were pinned back on our own half for pretty much the whole of the 5 minutes injury time. They couldn't stir themselves such was the lethargy.
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You'll never get Grealish, Ayew and McCormack in the same side successfully. IMO.
It hasn't worked yet but I think its got potential, I'd like to see Jedinak and Tish as the two before abandoning the idea but that has its own problems as a partnership as we haven't got a link man without Westwood.
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The really, really stupid thing was, with Just-Head up front on his own, Brentford knew there was no chance of us breaking. They could relax and push us back at their leisure. That was staggering, a bit like our unfit players in the last 20 minutes.
And not playing our most effective forward, Kodjia, right in the middle! On fitness it was alarming how our players faded away post 60+ and bringing on an unfit Amavi did not help at all.
Exactly. With Kodjia up there at least we would have had an outlet on the break. Brentford would have had to watch that, giving them less freedom to maraud through our midfield.
When Kodjia did break from deep on that right side, he seemed to get lost in an immediate swarm of Brentford players. They were more up and at it than us, as most teams have been in this league, particularly Huddersfield in the second half.
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Ron Saunders took measure s to counter the gypsy curse. I think it is back and rdm should do likewise.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/aston-villa-1-1-brentford-8837948
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The really, really stupid thing was, with Just-Head up front on his own, Brentford knew there was no chance of us breaking. They could relax and push us back at their leisure. That was staggering, a bit like our unfit players in the last 20 minutes.
And not playing our most effective forward, Kodjia, right in the middle! On fitness it was alarming how our players faded away post 60+ and bringing on an unfit Amavi did not help at all.
Yes that was a major issue for me. Why decide to leave Gestede on his own? First half players were around him and second half nothing.
But for gods sake why move Kodjia out on the wing? I know he scored but why move him around after Sunday? Bizarre. RDM is shoehorning attacking players into the team and it will cost him his job.
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There's a hilarious post in the discussion below the match report in the Guardian:
Perhaps Gabby is the answer in midfield? When he is fit of course. He could play the role that Merson and Pires have played in the past, an old head with an eye for distributing the ball.
I have replied, a few posts below it.
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Ooooooh dear - getting an awful sense of Deja-vu about all this.
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Ooooooh dear - getting an awful sense of Deja-vu about all this.
Me too. A bit better than last year, in that we're drawing more games rather than losing, but we need wins. Four points out of the last 15, that's relegation form.
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I was listening to it on Radio WM , they absolutely loved that. Twats.
I have no idea what to say re the game. It is amazing just how much of a habit the late conceding has become. :(
I wouldn't have said that - I thought last night's coverage was ok - although when I saw it was on R5SE I assumed, wrongly it would have been one of the R5 core team. Still I thought Garry Thompson told it as it was and I thought Mark Reagan (I've got no idea where his loyalties really lie) covered it pretty much spot on and felt the tension we were all feeling (and that was all around the world as well).
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Rdm doesn't give a Fuk get rid off him before its to late
and replace him with ?
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How have we managed to get a load of new players and they turn into the old lot of players? There is a pervasive fear through Aston Villa - it's obvious. We are seriously average and I expected a lot more. At the very least I expect a team to be able to go to 2 close banks of 4 and defend together a la Everton boredom under Moyes when under the cosh, it's basics.
The road has become a lot lot longer than expected. Either we stumble through to Jan and get a new midfield or we have to accept we're going to have to play counter attack even at home because our midfield might as well not exist.
RDM without tackling this powder puff attitude is going to be on borrowed time - can't see Tony being overly patient.
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Drove up from Plymouth. Crap journey both ways. Another late goal! Beginning to think we are cursed. What really gets me are the leaders!! We purchased just don't seem any better at managing a game than last year. A very worrying performance from players and management.
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I still can't quite comprehend what our game plan was. I was at the back of the Holte when it became apparent we were playing the four "forwards". So who is gonna supply the ammunition everyone was saying. Certainly not Jedinak or Westwood. It then all unravelled as we were dominated in midfield and any hope of getting Cissokho or De Laet forward was nullified. I mean they are not exactly the best backs going forward anyway. I know Cissokho takes some stick on here but I was in the Holte / Trinity corner and he was exposed to a "two on one" situation for most of the first half. When he went down with a head injury, I think he was probably dizzy actually. I guess that's why Amavi played in front of him in the second half. Woods just kept spraying it left and right and we were so narrow all the time. Thinking the same as everyone else in the ground, I turned to my sons in the 86th minute and said we would let one in any minute and they duly obliged. To be fair, you can't say they didn't deserve it.
Our main tactic was the big boot towards Gestede and I thought their centre back handled him quite well really. We took Gestede off and continued the big boot towards Kodija. On the night he looked really good, but that surely is not the way to use him. Their centre half won every ball from then on I think.
I know most of the above has already been said but I had to have a moan. To cap it all on the train back to New Street, we had to suffer the indignity of Brentford fans taking the piss out of us and there wasn't a lot you could say back. Their parting shot was "Oh well, we'll see you again next year - but then again maybe not" inferring that relegation is a possibility. I really don't think we are quite in those dire straits yet but I think our main problem is that unless we can pick up some creative "out of contract" midfielders we are stuck with what we have till January. Maybe Grealish and Adomah will offer more creativity I dunno. As everyone has said, by the time we have played the next three games things could look a whole lot worse.
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I dont think a lack of creativity will be a long term issue but we really need Tish or someone else to step up and give us that midfield presence and energy.
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When can we expect our very own sick note Tshibola to play again?
Err he is not injured - just not picked
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Last night was a game changer. The moment that Brentford's equaliser went in was the moment the mood around the club changed. Yes, we all knew it was coming, but up to that point we had talked about how we were playing well in matches, how it was so much better than last season, and how some team somewhere was going to get a hiding. The assumption was that things would click in to place, we would get our rightful deserts and would move up the table. That illusion evaporated in an instant in the 88th minute of last night's game, and in that moment the shock that we had allowed ourselves to be outmanoeuvred by moderate opposition on our own patch and the realisation that we are a bang average team ourselves with problems of balance, shape, motivation, squad depth, fitness and spark generated the wave of booing that we had wanted to put behind us after last season's debacle but which now came unavoidably to the fore. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. It was a disjointed, incoherent, lifeless, spiritless performance which saw us retreat behind the half way line for more than half the game against an anonymous, mediocre team - a League One club punching above its weight in the Championship - illuminated only by a single moment of high class for a goal that looked like it belonged in another game. I'm not going to single out any particular player for comment; the stifling mood seemed to affect them all. But shape of the team and the motivation of the players is the responsibility of the manager, and he has to carry the can for the shambolic performance that emerged. I get the feeling that Dr Tony will not tolerate too much more of this, and RDM may therefore already be on borrowed time. A failure to win any of the matches before the next international break may see a change of manager far sooner than any of us might have predicted.
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Rdm doesn't give a Fuk get rid off him before its to late
I suspect he does.
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I think you are right. Folks by me were not just miffed, a good few were absolutely incensed by that goal. In the 7 minutes that followed I don't think we got anywhere near their goal. We had gone completely. Brentford did have a couple of half chances as I recall.
Last night was a game changer. The moment that Brentford's equaliser went in was the moment the mood around the club changed. Yes, we all knew it was coming, but up to that point we had talked about how we were playing well in matches, how it was so much better than last season, and how some team somewhere was going to get a hiding. The assumption was that things would click in to place, we would get our rightful deserts and would move up the table. That illusion evaporated in an instant in the 88th minute of last night's game, and in that moment the shock that we had allowed ourselves to be outmanoeuvred by moderate opposition on our own patch and the realisation that we are a bang average team ourselves with problems of balance, shape, motivation, squad depth, fitness and spark generated the wave of booing that we had wanted to put behind us after last season's debacle but which now came unavoidably to the fore. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. It was a disjointed, incoherent, lifeless, spiritless performance which saw us retreat behind the half way line for more than half the game against an anonymous, mediocre team - a League One club punching above its weight in the Championship - illuminated only by a single moment of high class for a goal that looked like it belonged in another game. I'm not going to single out any particular player for comment; the stifling mood seemed to affect them all. But shape of the team and the motivation of the players is the responsibility of the manager, and he has to carry the can for the shambolic performance that emerged. I get the feeling that Dr Tony will not tolerate too much more of this, and RDM may therefore already be on borrowed time. A failure to win any of the matches before the next international break may see a change of manager far sooner than any of us might have predicted.
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Saw the line up and went What?
He is obviously trying to shoehorn in all his signings instead of a balanced side. There was no one on the bench who could have changed the game
GK
2 x Centre Halves (MR / NB)
1 x RB (Bacuna)
1 x LB (Amavi)
1 x winger (Green)
1 x midfielder (Gardner)
When I saw Amavi warming up at half time it was obviously due to Cissoko's head injury - like for like. WTF was he thinking bringing him on left mid when there were several other options available.
Ayew boils my piss - never seen a player make the wrong decision so many times
I asked a few games ago - Can RDM have any complaints if he gets the bullet soon after being supported so much?
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Saw the line up and went What?
He is obviously trying to shoehorn in all his signings instead of a balanced side. There was no one on the bench who could have changed the game
GK
2 x Centre Halves (MR / NB)
1 x RB (Bacuna)
1 x LB (Amavi)
1 x winger (Green)
1 x midfielder (Gardner)
When I saw Amavi warming up at half time it was obviously due to Cissoko's head injury - like for like. WTF was he thinking bringing him on left mid when there were several other options available.
Ayew boils my piss - never seen a player make the wrong decision so many times
I asked a few games ago - Can RDM have any complaints if he gets the bullet soon after being supported so much?
We were in such a mess he has more or less had to build a new team from scratch. Most of the considered opinion was that it could take two seasons to sort out the mess so to ditch him after two months would be madness.
Rebuilding is usually done on top of a core of players and over time so what we are doing is pretty unusual and coupled with the injuries we keep picking up means we haven't been able settle on a consistent line up. I think we need to hold our nerve and wait to see where we are once the latest batch of signings have played a few games, then we will have a better idea of whether or not he is the right man.
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Saw the line up and went What?
He is obviously trying to shoehorn in all his signings instead of a balanced side. There was no one on the bench who could have changed the game
GK
2 x Centre Halves (MR / NB)
1 x RB (Bacuna)
1 x LB (Amavi)
1 x winger (Green)
1 x midfielder (Gardner)
When I saw Amavi warming up at half time it was obviously due to Cissoko's head injury - like for like. WTF was he thinking bringing him on left mid when there were several other options available.
Ayew boils my piss - never seen a player make the wrong decision so many times
I asked a few games ago - Can RDM have any complaints if he gets the bullet soon after being supported so much?
We were in such a mess he has more or less had to build a new team from scratch. Most of the considered opinion was that it could take two seasons to sort out the mess so to ditch him after two months would be madness.
Rebuilding is usually done on top of a core of players and over time so what we are doing is pretty unusual and coupled with the injuries we keep picking up means we haven't been able settle on a consistent line up. I think we need to hold our nerve and wait to see where we are once the latest batch of signings have played a few games, then we will have a better idea of whether or not he is the right man.
Pretty much agree with that. It's been a disappointing start but not bad enough to be pining for Steve Bruce after 7 games.
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From Wollaston in the Brum Mail
Villa players new and old are under an intense scrutiny and trying to find their feet like a baby gazelle in a stampede of buffaloes.
Add 30,00 nervous fans into the occasion and it takes its toll.
These players are paid a lot of money to drown that out, the truth is though that nerves are contagious, you can’t ignore the anxiety of a crowd.
What a dickhead. Blaming the fans because the players on the pitch can't see out a one goal advantage. Tells the fans calling for RDM need to wobble their head. Foff.
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From Wollaston in the Brum Mail
Villa players new and old are under an intense scrutiny and trying to find their feet like a baby gazelle in a stampede of buffaloes.
Add 30,00 nervous fans into the occasion and it takes its toll.
These players are paid a lot of money to drown that out, the truth is though that nerves are contagious, you can’t ignore the anxiety of a crowd.
What a dickhead. Blaming the fans because the players on the pitch can't see out a one goal advantage. Tells the fans calling for RDM need to wobble their head. Foff.
Garry Thompson on the radio was basically saying that the fans being anxious is natural, but players have the ability to change things and they needed to step up and earn their salaries. No excuses for not doing so.
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The fans being anxious leads to the players not closing down the opposition, playing 4 upfront, sitting deep from 50 minutes on, giving away daft free kicks all over the place and playing with 1 midfielder?
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The fans were frustrated because we sat back for an entire half, trying to protect a fragile one-nil lead. At home. To Brentford. If we'd shown some intent in the second half, it would have been a completely different atmosphere. This is basic stuff.
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The fans were frustrated because we sat back for an entire half, trying to protect a fragile one-nil lead. At home. To Brentford. If we'd shown some intent in the second half, it would have been a completely different atmosphere. This is basic stuff.
Ayew, McCormack, Rudy, Kodjia.. go score another god damn goal. People don't buy tickets to see a 4-2-4 sit back at home.
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The fans were frustrated because we sat back for an entire half, trying to protect a fragile one-nil lead. At home. To Brentford. If we'd shown some intent in the second half, it would have been a completely different atmosphere. This is basic stuff.
Ayew, McCormack, Rudy, Kodjia.. go score another god damn goal. People don't buy tickets to see a 4-2-4 sit back at home.
It was bi-polar management at its worst. All out attacking for the first 45, cowering behind the halfway line for the next.
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Perhaps sometimes we do get on players backs a little quickly, and given that most of this team weren't responsible for the reasons we can be so quick to despair it might seem harsh to them when we do so. After all, we're not just booing that display - we're kind of booing 6 years of near-endless spiraling into hopelessness, and to someone like Tommy Elphick he might feel like he doesn't deserve it.
However, they don't help themselves if that's how they feel. Also, if all it takes is a bit of crowd anxiety for them to shrink likes cocks in the cold while winning at home against a lesser side, then they're not mentally tough enough to cope with the rigour and gruel of a Championship season. And that's not our fault.
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How do we explain why we're so bad away?
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Perhaps sometimes we do get on players backs a little quickly, and given that most of this team weren't responsible for the reasons we can be so quick to despair it might seem harsh to them when we do so. After all, we're not just booing that display - we're kind of booing 6 years of near-endless spiraling into hopelessness, and to someone like Tommy Elphick he might feel like he doesn't deserve it.
However, they don't help themselves if that's how they feel. Also, if all it takes is a bit of crowd anxiety for them to shrink likes cocks in the cold while winning at home against a lesser side, then they're not mentally tough enough to cope with the rigour and gruel of a Championship season. And that's not our fault.
Doesn't deserve it? You realize we're in the business of shipping goals and gifting points in the last 5 minutes of a match, right? He's our captain, and honestly I like the lad, but the late defensive lapses and ineptitude has been scathing. Again, we need to get it together.
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You'll never get Grealish, Ayew and McCormack in the same side successfully. IMO.
It hasn't worked yet but I think its got potential, I'd like to see Jedinak and Tish as the two before abandoning the idea but that has its own problems as a partnership as we haven't got a link man without Westwood.
It's a Football Manager formation. Ayew's never a winger, McCormack can only really play off the front-man and it's not really in Grealish's nature to do much going back the other way. We have solid but average midfielders and full-backs, we're trying to play like an elite side but without the players to do it. It'll occasionally work ala Rotheram but we're forgoing too many basic elements of what you need in a football side in an attempt to shoe-horn big players in the side.
Get Adomah in on the right and any 3 of our 4 midfield players and we'll be a lot more solid.
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The fans were frustrated because we sat back for an entire half, trying to protect a fragile one-nil lead. At home. To Brentford. If we'd shown some intent in the second half, it would have been a completely different atmosphere. This is basic stuff.
Ayew, McCormack, Rudy, Kodjia.. go score another god damn goal. People don't buy tickets to see a 4-2-4 sit back at home.
It was bi-polar management at its worst. All out attacking for the first 45, cowering behind the halfway line for the next.
I'm in agreement of the criticism of the management, but was it really sitting back that cost us? Or was it an inability to get a grip on the game with so few players capable of keeping hold of a football?
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He might be used to the idea that booing is reserved for serial-offender arseholes, rather than try-hards who just aren't getting it right at the moment. Mind you, that could also be a bad attitude, as it cold suggest settling for hard-sweated failure.
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We need to play 3 in the middle. Jedinak can hold deeper and then get Tish and then one of Westwood or Gardner (for want of better options) in there too. I'd like to know why Lyden has disappeared. I feel he could do a job and add some energy.
I think you have to make a choice between Gestede or Kodija. Not both (unless changing it during a game if you're chasing a goal).
Likewise Ayew is shoehorned. McCormack is sort of playing in no mands land. There's no balance. If you've got Grealish, McCormack and Ayew, essentially they're all going to play more or less the same position. You can only play 1 of them, 2 at most (as Grealish does well coming in from the left). We do need to play a wide man who will open up the pitch a bit too, be that Adomah or Bacuna.
He's got to find a balanced formation very soon and get the team gelling. Right now we're 11 individuals running around without much cohesion and that's down to RDM largely.
The most frustrating thing is that in so many of these games, when we're on top, we look a class above. We should have beaten Huddersfield, Derby, Forrest, Brentford and Bristol comfortably. We're wasting chances, but what's more galling is the games where we go ahead and don't fully capitalize on our dominence. The only game we did that was Rotherham where we put them to bed. But they're an utterly dreadful side.
I know talking about RDM's job so soon might sound silly but if we get to 10-15 games and we're not winning??? No one will come in and instantly fix it mind you, but I do think RDM has got to get fucking tough and he's got to think sensibly. He's not playing fifa. You can't just cram in all of your best players. Sometimes you have to go for balance. And he's got to start holding his players accountable when they give away late goals. Every bastard game isn't acceptable.
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Meet the new shit, same as the old shit. well nearly, we draw now I suppose instead of losing
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
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We need to play 3 in the middle. Jedinak can hold deeper and then get Tish and then one of Westwood or Gardner (for want of better options) in there too. I'd like to know why Lyden has disappeared. I feel he could do a job and add some energy.
I think you have to make a choice between Gestede or Kodija. Not both (unless changing it during a game if you're chasing a goal).
Likewise Ayew is shoehorned. McCormack is sort of playing in no mands land. There's no balance. If you've got Grealish, McCormack and Ayew, essentially they're all going to play more or less the same position. You can only play 1 of them, 2 at most (as Grealish does well coming in from the left). We do need to play a wide man who will open up the pitch a bit too, be that Adomah or Bacuna.
He's got to find a balanced formation very soon and get the team gelling. Right now we're 11 individuals running around without much cohesion and that's down to RDM largely.
The most frustrating thing is that in so many of these games, when we're on top, we look a class above. We should have beaten Huddersfield, Derby, Forrest, Brentford and Bristol comfortably. We're wasting chances, but what's more galling is the games where we go ahead and don't fully capitalize on our dominence. The only game we did that was Rotherham where we put them to bed. But they're an utterly dreadful side.
I know talking about RDM's job so soon might sound silly but if we get to 10-15 games and we're not winning??? No one will come in and instantly fix it mind you, but I do think RDM has got to get fucking tough and he's got to think sensibly. He's not playing fifa. You can't just cram in all of your best players. Sometimes you have to go for balance. And he's got to start holding his players accountable when they give away late goals. Every bastard game isn't acceptable.
Great post. Exactly the same as I said last night at the game.
One thing that was alarming that we couldnt freshen the team up with another attacker becuase they were all on the sodding pitch.
It's like Ron Saunders said, the most important thing in a team is shape.
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With the wrong personnel though.
Amavi looked unfit and poor.
Ayew is not suited to playing the wide midfield workhorse.
Ayew was man of the match in that position against Forest and arguably Derby too
Unfortunately he hasnt scored in the league this season, if we are playing with very attacking wide players we need them to be getting 10 league goals each at a minimum.
Ideally we would have Ayew, Adamoah and Grealish competing for 2 wide positions supporting Kodija with a solid midfield trio behind.
We should never ever be starting with Ayew, McCormack, Gestede, Kodija as the front four, that is madness.
McCormack doesnt really fit at all, his lack of conditioning is also a serious problem and a disgrace frankly for a new 12m signing.
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We need to play 3 in the middle. Jedinak can hold deeper and then get Tish and then one of Westwood or Gardner (for want of better options) in there too. I'd like to know why Lyden has disappeared. I feel he could do a job and add some energy.
I think you have to make a choice between Gestede or Kodija. Not both (unless changing it during a game if you're chasing a goal).
Likewise Ayew is shoehorned. McCormack is sort of playing in no mands land. There's no balance. If you've got Grealish, McCormack and Ayew, essentially they're all going to play more or less the same position. You can only play 1 of them, 2 at most (as Grealish does well coming in from the left). We do need to play a wide man who will open up the pitch a bit too, be that Adomah or Bacuna.
He's got to find a balanced formation very soon and get the team gelling. Right now we're 11 individuals running around without much cohesion and that's down to RDM largely.
The most frustrating thing is that in so many of these games, when we're on top, we look a class above. We should have beaten Huddersfield, Derby, Forrest, Brentford and Bristol comfortably. We're wasting chances, but what's more galling is the games where we go ahead and don't fully capitalize on our dominence. The only game we did that was Rotherham where we put them to bed. But they're an utterly dreadful side.
I know talking about RDM's job so soon might sound silly but if we get to 10-15 games and we're not winning??? No one will come in and instantly fix it mind you, but I do think RDM has got to get fucking tough and he's got to think sensibly. He's not playing fifa. You can't just cram in all of your best players. Sometimes you have to go for balance. And he's got to start holding his players accountable when they give away late goals. Every bastard game isn't acceptable.
But don't the two highlighted sections contradict each other? I honestly don't think that the team-shape or line-up was the problem last night. In the first half we were very good, and probably deserving of a greater lead. It was how we approached the game int the second half and, worryingly, it seemed that RDM had not anticipated that Brentford might try top change their approach to get back into it. Initially we played like were still at 0-0, taking unnecessary risks with the ball, looking for a second goal. When that didn't happen with around 30 minutes still to pay, we stopped pressing higher up the pitch and the whole team dropped 15 yards deeper, effectively inviting Brentford onto us. By this stage we'd also lost our attacking shape from the first half, so were unable to offer any real threat on the counter. The option of Gestede holding the ball up (to some extend) was also taken away by another poor RDM change. The equaliser, against a team who really had very little attacking threat, was inevitable.
We lack nous. We've lacked it for years. On the pitch and, seemingly, still in the dugout.
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I think McCormack is probably the only player we have with any ability to spot a run or make a run himself to be honest. He should start off Kodjia every time for me
Which leaves the question where do all the other attacking options fit in ?
If we play a four man midfield with two wingers, then it's a choice between Ayew, Grealish and Adomah by the look of it. We certainly cna't play them all
Gestede to be used in emergencies only for me, like 15 minutes to go when we're losing and need to go more direct
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I know he's got a couple of goals, but I think we have definitely got to sort out how we use Ross McCormack. When we signed him, some of my Bluenose friends actually said we had all but secured promotion by signing him. They were dead jealous. However he looks to me like a fish out of water in our team - searching for a role almost. Playing in no-man's land as somebody said earlier. With his goal scoring record and reputation within this division, there has to be one hell of a player in there somewhere. Maybe it's time to watch some old videos and sort out how he needs to play or maybe just ask him.
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I was listening to it on Radio WM , they absolutely loved that. Twats.
I have no idea what to say re the game. It is amazing just how much of a habit the late conceding has become. :(
I wouldn't have said that - I thought last night's coverage was ok - although when I saw it was on R5SE I assumed, wrongly it would have been one of the R5 core team. Still I thought Garry Thompson told it as it was and I thought Mark Reagan (I've got no idea where his loyalties really lie) covered it pretty much spot on and felt the tension we were all feeling (and that was all around the world as well).
I was annoyed by their constant praise of Brentford and almost willing their equalizer. Followed by the smug satisfaction of "called it" sentiment after they did and speculating they might go on to win it.
I admit to being very angry at the time so I could have been projecting my frustration at them. I also think I am fair to be paranoid and overly sensitive about our local media. Is it too much to ask for them to be openly on the local teams side for a change?
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I think McCormack should be played off Kodja, it gives us our best movement up front which might make up for our poor creativity behind. Adomah should play once he's fit as we would benefit from some genuine width and he's someone else with sorely needed pace and a trick to stretch teams.
Think you then need to decide whether you have Grealish or Ayew playing, Ayew has created more this season but currently i'd play Jack because he keeps the ball better. Once things have settled down, players are settled, fit and playing with less fear we could mix its up. I'm not sure you would ideally have this many attacking players in the team until you have sorted the midfield out but we really are short of other types of midfielder at the moment and I'm not sure how many games you are likely to get out of the ones we have. Tshibola, and Gardner are both regularly injured and Jedinak is at the stage of his career where he is likely to be out too.
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There was a point in the 2nd half when I genuinely thought the players had downed tools.
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McCormack's goals per game ratio in the championship is 1 in 2 or very close for both Leeds and Fulham.
Only at Aston Villa could we sign a striker with that record and not know where to play him FFS!
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McCormack's goals per game ratio in the championship is 1 in 2 or very close for both Leeds and Fulham.
Only at Aston Villa could we sign a striker with that record and not know where to play him FFS!
And is also well know to take a few weeks to really get going!
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Didn't see or hear the match.No idea of the score until I bought the Mirror at the local Spar in Llanberis this morning. To say I was disappointed is understating it
somewhat. Especially as I had injured myself half way up a mountain in a minor fall and then later found no real ale in a pub that states it has a fine selection on a big banner outside! That is 1 in 7 unless I am mistaken and that is plainly not acceptable for any club and not just Aston Villa.
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I think McCormack has a bit of the Robbie Keanes about him, in that he can come deep looking for the ball then to give it and go and get in the box for when it comes in. Unfortunately it took a while for the rest of the team to appreciate what Keane was doing and I think it is the same with McCormack. RDM needs to sort out what his team is going to be and get them on the field at BH drilling movement into them so they are aware of what each other is doing.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
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I don't think many in here thought Brentford would be an easy game, other than jokingly.
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What difference does the fans attitude towards the opposition have to do with what happens on the pitch.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
No offense mate, I hope you enjoyed your trip but fuck off.
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The insufferable clichéd shite that these Mickey Mouse twats trip out is fucking tedious.
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Micky Mouse twats we can't b
The insufferable clichéd shite that these Mickey Mouse twats trip out is fucking tedious.
Micky Mouse twats we can't beat - and you said it would be so easy to walk this league as I remember.
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Whether I can predict the weather doesn't alter the fact that this league is utter shite. Just so happens we have a manager fit for it.
Anyway, there's plenty of nothing clubs we've not beaten over the years. It's a traditional thing.
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I never underestimated Brentford for a minute. The Holte Enders around me were in agreement when their fans sang 'boring Villa'. But there's nothing worse than a sanctimonious fan of a little club. (See WBA).
Some advice for you, Brentford fan: Don't ever tell fans of the club who invented the league you're playing in how to fucking behave.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Fair comment for me. Good advice that will be spat on by too many...
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My point was only on reference to this particular Mickey Mouse twat, with his sweeping generalisations of how we think, and how we should behave.
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Point 1, don't underestimate your opponents - Most Villa fans expect us to fuck it up no matter who we are against
Point 2, don't expect an easy ride - We're in agreement that we aren't good enough to get promoted right now
Point 3, give the opposition some credit - To be fair, we've been the better team in nearly every game and the standard is pretty shit.
So with all your points proven to be bollocks you can take your attempt at Villa bashing and shove it up your arsehole.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Fair comment for me. Good advice that will be spat on by too many...
If I believed that Villa fans had all written off Brentford he might have a point, but I don't think anyone did. Also saying we've overpaid for players because Brentford beat their respective previous teams is just bollocks.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
1. Sorry chap, forgot you lot arrived in Championship from Premier league, thus making your learnings irrelevant bollocks!
2. They were over priced because we were buying the best of the division.
3. Ryan who?
4. RDM stopped us from playing, not Brentford.
5. As mentioned previously, Fuck Off!
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fuck me i love a lecture ::)
anyway i can get more fans up my rusty bullet hole than you can fit in your two bob ground
or was it haribos?
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Nottsbee I don't think many said it but with due respect we should be annihilating teams like yours. Last night was the worst performance so far this season for us and we still should have won the match except for a lucky ricochet that took the ball into have net. So enjoy it whilst you can and I wish you the best of luck back in 3rd division very soon.
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
That's my view as well but no one around me in North Stand or on here agrees.
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
That's my view as well but no one around me in North Stand or on here agrees.
My brother thinks so too. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now but admittedly, like Elphick, he hasn't looked like an upgrade yet.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Opposition fans come here quite reguarly and are made more than welcome, you sound like a complete bell end though to be fair.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Fair comment for me. Good advice that will be spat on by too many...
If I believed that Villa fans had all written off Brentford he might have a point, but I don't think anyone did. Also saying we've overpaid for players because Brentford beat their respective previous teams is just bollocks.
I didn't hear any Villa fans saying those kind of things about Brentford before the game. If anything, most people I spoke to were complimentary, particularly about Dean Smith, who seems to be continuing the good work he did at Walsall.
I smell a rat with that post though. I'm guessing it's one of our less illustrious neighbours on a wind up.
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There's probably crayon all over his computer screen.
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What's with all these Burnley comparisons? Our game yesterday was their fourth straight win last season.
It needs to stop.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
1. Sorry chap, forgot you lot arrived in Championship from Premier league, thus making your learnings irrelevant bollocks!
2. They were over priced because we were buying the best of the division.
3. Ryan who?
4. RDM stopped us from playing, not Brentford.
5. As mentioned previously, Fuck Off!
Ryan who? was the diminutive ginge who ran the game while Westwood was answering in the form of dance. Ballet, at a guess.
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Brentford have 'learned' so much from their time in this division that they dropped 4 places last season compared to the one before. Definitely a role model for us with progress like that.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Make the most of it while it lasts. Once Brentford inevitably drop through the leagues you'll be back supporting Chelsea again.
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This must be a wind up. As if any Villa fan on the planet gives us much of a chance in any game we play these days, nevermind steamrollering anyone.
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This must be a wind up. As if any Villa fan on the planet gives us much of a chance in any game we play these days, nevermind steamrollering anyone.
Well, exactly.
He's walked into the place on the entire internet where fans have the absolute lowest expectations of their team and started blathering on about arrogance and steamrollering pub teams.
Like we've not spent the last six years watching us fail to look convincing against anyone
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When can we expect our very own sick note Tshibola to play again?
Err he is not injured - just not picked
He started Rotherham and Huddersfield games and then got injured so I just assumed he still hadn't recovered.
If he's fit now and can't even make the bench when we've got 4 defenders on there...then RDM is completely mental.
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
That's my view as well but no one around me in North Stand or on here agrees.
My brother thinks so too. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now but admittedly, like Elphick, he hasn't looked like an upgrade yet.
De Laet is a bit quicker than Hutton and I think has a better cross on him.
Not sure what people are expecting though...the likes of Elphick and De Laet didn't promote Bournemouth and Leicester on their own...they were important cogs in the whole system but not star men. I'm pretty sure Bournemouth conceded quite a few goals when they went up but could outscore teams.
On paper our best signing in terms of career so far is James Chester, promotion, premier league regular and regular for a euro semi finalist.
It shouldn't be beyond us to keep clean sheets though with the personnel now at the back. Steve Clarke should be drilling them night and day in training but I fear not given the cheap goals we keep on conceding.
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Ah, the traditional response to an outsider or newbie. I'd forgotten why I hadn't missed the place. Nottsbee, if you are a Brentford fan, well done on the performance. You deserved all three points after our second half willful capitulation. But it is presumptuous thinking we don't get the Championship. We've spent this whole decade being shit against every level of opponent. No-one who's seen us over this time goes to Villa Park expecting anything.
Underestimating opponents? Have you met many Brummies? No-one would bat an eyelid if we replaced "Prepared" with "I told yer we'd bluddy lose". But it doesn't really matter if we as fans swan about being arrogant dicks as it's the players and management that need to learn that lesson. We've seen zero swagger from either since O'Neill flounced off so no-one who could affect the result underestimated you. We were just not very good.
Overpaying vs bargain buys? Did you notice our midfield when you scored? Bargain buy Westwood and home grown Gardner. Ask 10 Villa fans what they think of this pairing and at least 9 will answer the same. But if Ryan Woods plays like that every week, or even once a month, we'll swap. I wonder if he needs the space usually granted opponents at Villa Park though. Meanwhile, did you see what £11m Kodjia did to your defence all game?
Credit the opposition? As I said, you deserved all three. But none of us came to see the opposition. Villa have a massive advantage - financially, historically, in experience and facilities - over much of the division. When we say we should use it we are attacking ourselves and our own shortcomings, not disparaging the rest.
Your Cup Final? Alex Ferguson used to get his teams to raise their game at Villa Park. He and they never failed to mention it. You only have to listen to the great opposition players who've beaten us to know it's a place any player who can overcome nerves gives their all. We've seen it for over a century. You'd think our players would realise it by now. It's not about how the Villa are doing at any given time, it's a real ego boost to perform there.
Thanks for the invite to Griffin Park. Last time I was there I saved a penalty. It was during the McLintock era, when Keith Millen was learning from Micky Droy. About 2am me and a mate broke in via the flats they were building on Brook Road. There was a half deflated ball on the pitch so I got my one and only moment of glory at a League ground. Despite being in goal (and stoned) I still showed more attacking threat than Villa managed in the second half on Wednesday.
Good luck for the rest of the season.
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Hi, Brentford fan here.
Apologies - posted this earlier on the wrong thread...
Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous in popping in to give you some advice about coping with life in the Champioship. It's our third year here and we've learnt quite a bit along the way.
Firstly, never underestimate your opponents. The majority of Villa fans are fine but there was a lot of pre-match talk about 'annihilating a pub team' and there are comments here assuming you should be easily beating 'the likes of Brentford'. Show some humility and, like Burnley last year, you still have a good chance of going up. Remain arrogant and the fate of Leeds awaits you.
Secondly, don't assume that because in the summer you spent more than Brentford in their entire history that you're in for an easy ride. We're familiar with Kodija, McCormack and Gestede and we've thrashed Bristol City, Fulham and Blackburn when they've been playing for them. (Mind you, it was a great goal by Kodija). The truth is that you've probably overpaid for these players whereas we, through necessity, pick up underpriced bargains from the lower leagues. Ryan Woods, anyone?
Thirdly, give some credit to the opposition. You may not have previously been able to name any of our players or even locate Brentford on a map but there are some good teams in this league and you will find it difficult to beat them. Perhaps your underperformance last night was due to Brentford not allowing you to play. (And no-one here seems to have mentioned Scott Hogan's wrongly disallowed goal).
Fourthly, less of the patronising 'you raised your game because it's your Cup Final' stuff. Leeds are still coming out with this and they still haven't been able to beat us. Be smart, don't be like Leeds.
That's not to say that Brentford didn't enjoy Villa Park last night. It's a great old-school stadium with history and character. We look forward to welcoming you to our more humble abode next year.
Good post, we don't have a divine right to beat any team irrespective of the money spent on players and management. A point that should be made in no uncertain terns from board level down to management asap .
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Good post? The whopper couldn't have been any more patronising.
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Why oh why would anyone post that on an opposition forum and expect to be given anything less than a well deserved fuck off tablet.....
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Not all away fans on here are as bigger bell ends as the Brentford bloke. Sendo the West Ham fan was always ok.
Mind you, the Stoke fans were a bit special. Withington Red remains my favourite.
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Point 1, don't underestimate your opponents - Most Villa fans expect us to fuck it up no matter who we are against
Point 2, don't expect an easy ride - We're in agreement that we aren't good enough to get promoted right now
Point 3, give the opposition some credit - To be fair, we've been the better team in nearly every game and the standard is pretty shit.
I couldn't agree more, the standard of teams is worse then I thought it was going to be, that we have only amassed seven points says it all.
On the debate about the forwards, I'd put McCormack and Gestede on the bench, the former doesn't look sharp enough and, in my opinion, Jack and Ayew are among the best players in the division so they start no matter what.
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trawl back through various threads and there are plenty of people who insist we will be/should be spanking teams like Brentford. We haven't and won't without ( amongst many other things)a formation that actually contains a midfield.
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Also, if we've spent that much money on players who weren't worth it, isn't that another reason for us to be annoyed at the management? With the money we spent we shouldn't be 17th. That's just how it is.
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Ah, the traditional response to an outsider or newbie. I'd forgotten why I hadn't missed the place. Nottsbee, if you are a Brentford fan, well done on the performance. You deserved all three points after our second half willful capitulation. But it is presumptuous thinking we don't get the Championship. We've spent this whole decade being shit against every level of opponent. No-one who's seen us over this time goes to Villa Park expecting anything.
Underestimating opponents? Have you met many Brummies? No-one would bat an eyelid if we replaced "Prepared" with "I told yer we'd bluddy lose". But it doesn't really matter if we as fans swan about being arrogant dicks as it's the players and management that need to learn that lesson. We've seen zero swagger from either since O'Neill flounced off so no-one who could affect the result underestimated you. We were just not very good.
Overpaying vs bargain buys? Did you notice our midfield when you scored? Bargain buy Westwood and home grown Gardner. Ask 10 Villa fans what they think of this pairing and at least 9 will answer the same. But if Ryan Woods plays like that every week, or even once a month, we'll swap. I wonder if he needs the space usually granted opponents at Villa Park though. Meanwhile, did you see what £11m Kodjia did to your defence all game?
Credit the opposition? As I said, you deserved all three. But none of us came to see the opposition. Villa have a massive advantage - financially, historically, in experience and facilities - over much of the division. When we say we should use it we are attacking ourselves and our own shortcomings, not disparaging the rest.
Your Cup Final? Alex Ferguson used to get his teams to raise their game at Villa Park. He and they never failed to mention it. You only have to listen to the great opposition players who've beaten us to know it's a place any player who can overcome nerves gives their all. We've seen it for over a century. You'd think our players would realise it by now. It's not about how the Villa are doing at any given time, it's a real ego boost to perform there.
Thanks for the invite to Griffin Park. Last time I was there I saved a penalty. It was during the McLintock era, when Keith Millen was learning from Micky Droy. About 2am me and a mate broke in via the flats they were building on Brook Road. There was a half deflated ball on the pitch so I got my one and only moment of glory at a League ground. Despite being in goal (and stoned) I still showed more attacking threat than Villa managed in the second half on Wednesday.
Good luck for the rest of the season.
Applause!!Great stuff mate.
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Re the so called advice from the "Brentford" fan.
Reminds of the Small heath & Ollbeyun fans on the radio taking the piss and saying it's hilarious to watch us struggling because "all villa fans thought they would piss the league and bounce straight back" Well I don't know any villa fans that were saying that. Quite the opposite really. It's just them obsessed twats trying to make out that we're arrogant and "that's why everyone hates villa" Truth is they are all know when things do get back on track and the Villa bandwagon starts rolling again they will have to crawl back under a rock and keep quiet again.
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Not so much a traditional response to an outsider, rather an appropriate response to a chippy, sanctimonious, self-righteous, patronising tool telling fans of a club he obviously knows very little about, on a site he knows nothing about, how to behave.
A lot of the people on this site followed Villa when we were in the old Third Division. Most when we were in the Second Division (including me, and we finished second to Millwall that season).
In recent years we've been knocked out of cups by the likes of Bradford, Millwall, Sheffield United, Leyton Orient, Luton and Christ knows who else from the lower leagues, so I doubt very many of us will be lording it over the division we now find ourselves in. Especially since we're among the bottom rungs of it.
Football is full of bravado, that's what it's all about on match days. Even shit like Albion sing about how great they are. It goes with the territory. But in the sober light of day, when people go onto this forum to discuss their club, the last thing they need is some smug, holier-than-thou rat's cock telling them how they should conduct themselves in public.
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Why oh why would anyone post that on an opposition forum and expect to be given anything less than a well deserved fuck off tablet.....
Because on here we're better than that, unless they deserve it.
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
That's my view as well but no one around me in North Stand or on here agrees.
I do, I was incredibly dissapointed with the signing and not seen anything since to change my mind. And to be honest, with our backs against the wall I would still prefer Hutton.
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Not all away fans on here are as bigger bell ends as the Brentford bloke.
Mind you, the Stoke fans were a bit special.
That Stoke fan (Bunny?)was a massive bell end, never trusted him.
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aren't all Stoke fans massive bell enders?
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Does anyone else think that De Laet could just be Hutton in a wig....there doesn't seem to be any significant improvement!
That's my view as well but no one around me in North Stand or on here agrees.
I do, I was incredibly dissapointed with the signing and not seen anything since to change may mind. And to be honest, with our backs against the wall I would still prefer Hutton.
Exactly what the bloke next to me was saying on Wednesday night and I'm not sure he was wrong.
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I met a Stoke fan last season who reckoned they'd now become a big club because they signed Shakira, I reminded him they'd only finished in the top half of the 1st division about 5 times in half a century and signing willow doesn't change that.
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Just had a Dingle explaining at length why we find ourselves in the Championship. As he was attending the event I am presenting at I couldn't tell hi to fuck off but did set him straight on all the factual errors he espoused. He sounded like that Brentford fan. What is it with these people that they think Villa fans give a shit what they think?
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Just had a Dingle explaining at length why we find ourselves in the Championship. As he was attending the event I am presenting at I couldn't tell hi to fuck off but did set him straight on all the factual errors he espoused. He sounded like that Brentford fan. What is it with these people that they think Villa fans give a shit what they think?
We don't but it's as well to politely nod and correct their mistakes. Ultimately it just shows the inferiority complex many of them feel that they're occupying the same league as the mighty Aston Villa. Winning or drawing at Villa Park is a massive thing for them as is shown by the World Cup winning levels of celebrating when they get a point.
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Just had a Dingle explaining at length why we find ourselves in the Championship.
If he said anything more than "because Villa were one of the three teams that finished with the least points" his comments were superfluous.