Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on January 21, 2017, 04:58:05 PM
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Still undefeated at home under Bruce, I suppose...
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Sorry but that is fucking shit. From completely dominating to drawing 2-2 is awful.
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Let's face it, it still isn't good enough it's it?
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Good bye to the playoffs
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Yay! That went well then. :o
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Gutted. Really feels like a defeat after a brilliant first half.
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Vintage Villa.
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Sorry but that is fucking shit. From completely dominating to drawing 2-2 is awful.
I thought under Bruce losing leads was a thing of the past.
Clearly not!!
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Gutted but I take heart from that first half. Why oh why can't we have two good halves?
Sounded like Gabby worked hard and a good first game for Lansbury but the same weaknesses are there. We seem to tire after 70 minutes and are still mentally fragile.
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Fuck the whole lot of them, you can always rely on their shiteness.
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Villa aren't capable of closing a game down when in a winning position. What are the coaches doing, we seem to lose concentration and focus as we get tireder after 65 minutes
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Two points, firstly we were absolutely cruising, as they were up at Deepdale, the difference being we have no bollocks or spirit so our heads dropped that day, theres didnt today.
Secondly, the three teams we have played, have all taken 4 points off us, pathetic stuff really.
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1st half good. 2nd half shit. We had no energy or drive.
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At 3pm i'd have taken a draw but from two nil up it feels like a defeat.
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oh well, least we played well for 45 mins
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Was this team built on an old Indian Burial ground? Cursed.
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1st half good. 2nd half shit. We had no energy or drive.
Villa have great training facilities but are the players actually using them to their full advantage? Bruce and his coaches should improving the fitness regimes
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I'm that annoyed I'm having not one but two cans of Leffe. Great to see a two-goal lead. Great to see Chubby Areyouevergonnascore doing well (but you will need to score ten winners this season if you ever want me to consider forgiving you for being a c***), but fuck off with your giving up a two-goal lead. Wankers! Can't wait to read what the people at Villa Park thought of all that.
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I'm prepared to accept that Gabby had an okay game for once. That's good of him.
But I'm sorry playing him and Westwood over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the first sign of madness.
If you didn't know any better you'd swear Bruce was trying to get himself sacked.
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It's like they get high at half time. Any balloons on the loose around VP today?
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Not good enough again.
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Another manager who doesn't have a clue.
Brilliant.
Stop with the cheeky tweets Dr Tony and sign some pissing players. Absolutely fuming.
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I'm prepared to accept that Gabby had an okay game for once. That's good of him.
But I'm sorry playing him and Westwood over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the first sign of madness.
If you didn't know any better you'd swear Bruce was trying to get himself sacked.
Gabby was MotM for me today
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That's nice of him. One good game a season. Bargain.
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Really annoying. Played really well first half and 2-0 flattered Preston. Gabby was superb. Second half and everything we did so well in the first we stopped doing. On the train at Witton and fucking annoyed.
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Nobody is saying this but you don't win games with Westwood in your team , uespecially as your holding midfielder. He's quite simply a weakling and a loser. Additionally Agbonlahor appearing to "work hard" is just not good enough.
This is the first season in 35 years that I haven't bought a ST. I've decided that I won't buy another match ticket until there is absolutely zero chance that I might be having to watch either of those two sub standard losers.
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IRRITATING.
Can't stand how we can't get out of our own way.
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This sodding team. FFS what is it going to take?
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Really annoying. Played really well first half and 2-0 flattered Preston. Gabby was superb. Second half and everything we did so well in the first we stopped doing. On the train at Witton and fucking annoyed.
I think it's very admirable that you've managed to get on a train & be fucking annoyed. I reckon I'd have been Sectioned after witnessing that 2nd half.
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Ultimately, if you can only take a point from the likes of Wolves and Preston in a season it tells you that you're not good enough to mount a promotion challenge. Building for August already.
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Classic villa. Snatching a draw from a winning position....
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What are you guys doing ??
I checked in at half time and we were two-nil up and I was thinking, 3, 4 or even 5.......and then !!
I get home and we have capitulated once again.
Now to tune in and watch our (potential) next two signings .
Heckingbottom just virtually confirmed Hourihane is ready for the offski.
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This sodding team. FFS what is it going to take?
Paul McKenna taking training?
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Think we need to take a tablespoon of reality medicine. We are a bang average championship side. No if''s, no but's, no maybe's ....just a run of the mill championship team
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People saying it's all about next season. Any chance we can see a dress rehearsal for it sometime?
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Nobody is saying this but you don't win games with Westwood in your team , uespecially as your holding midfielder. He's quite simply a weakling and a loser. Additionally Agbonlahor appearing to "work hard" is just not good enough.
This is the first season in 35 years that I haven't bought a ST. I've decided that I won't buy another match ticket until there is absolutely zero chance that I might be having to watch either of those two sub standard losers.
I've been saying it to anyone that cares for years. Jedinak is Steve Gerrard compared to Westwood.
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I was texting brother in HK about how wonderful Villa are and somewhere in between them and end I had to tell him we're still shite..Oh well hope rapper dragon wins for him at Shatin big race tomorrow.
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I was texting brother in HK about how wonderful Villa are and somewhere in between them and end I had to tell him we're still shite..Oh well hope rapper dragon wins for him at Shatin big race tomorrow.
So Shatin for him; & shat-on for you & the rest of us then.
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Persackerly.. he stands a better chance. Get down St Williams now.
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Let's hope Bree and Hourihane stay fit.
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Very disappointed good first half bad second on the train back home and it is cold.
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When consistent garbage like Grealish, Gabby, Hutton, Westwood mixed with a sprinkling of Bacuna are all playing, then a point isn't a bad result.
I completely disagree that Gabby was good in the first. The guy had no clue where to go, he was never in the box and kept running to the ball instead of making a run for it. The guy is so far past it, it's unreal.
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I was texting brother in HK about how wonderful Villa are and somewhere in between them and end I had to tell him we're still shite..Oh well hope rapper dragon wins for him at Shatin big race tomorrow.
So Shatin for him; & shat-on for you & the rest of us then.
My brother lives in Sai Kung which is not far from Shatin. And 'SHA KOK'
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On my way home I can't even get annoyed with that shower anymore seen it so many times before. We look right at home in this league think it might a while before we get out of it.
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Think we need to take a tablespoon of reality medicine. We are a bang average championship side. No if''s, no but's, no maybe's ....just a run of the mill championship team
But we are the Villa and we love them. Oh! Actually we just put up with them at the moment. For the sake of the kids.
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Cannot keep clean sheets, a big worry if you talking about play offs
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Surely Tish is a better choice than Westwood as a starter?
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Surely Tish is a better choice than Westwood as a starter?
So is the pate.
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How did we manage to lose this one from being comfortably 2-0 up? Was it collective sloppy defending or individual errors again?
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Surely Tish is a better choice than Westwood as a starter?
So is the pate.
I've said it a million times the guy would survive a bomb dropping where everyone else perishes. He manages to play all the time and offers nothing in return.
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just back - an unpardonable capitulation second half, if Kodjia had been playing today we might have won. Oh, and Jack is shite - always abdicates responsibility for the final ball . Very poor. One plus point was Henri though, at last someone who can actually pass.
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The first half was really good and Lansbury made a massive difference, driving from midfield and moving the ball quickly.
Second half he tired and the whole team seemed to lose energy and momentum. We did though have several break away opportunities to finish the game off.
I should also say I thought Agbonlahor had a decent game and led the line well. We missed Jedinak when Preston were forcing the game.
Bruce has just said McCormack was dropped from the squad for being unfit and missing training. Another one to add to the disasters of the last few years.
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Cannot keep clean sheets, a big worry if you talking about play offs
Play offs? What are you smokin / drinking?
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When consistent garbage like Grealish, Gabby, Hutton, Westwood mixed with a sprinkling of Bacuna are all playing, then a point isn't a bad result.
I completely disagree that Gabby was good in the first. The guy had no clue where to go, he was never in the box and kept running to the ball instead of making a run for it. The guy is so far past it, it's unreal.
It's an awful result. Every team in the championship knows that if they front up to us we will crumble. You can imagine Grayson's team talk at half time, get one back and this lot will shit themselves.
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Bruce has just said McCormack was dropped from the squad for being unfit and missing training. Another one to add to the disasters of the last few years.
Great. Now, can he drop all the players who are shite and can't do their job properly? Oh, wait...*sharp intake of breath*
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We've had a choice run of fixtures from the New Year onwards, a real chance to close the gap.
And we've pissed it up the wall. Congratulations to all concerned.
One iffy performance here and there is understandable. Or a couple of below par performances with our best attackers away at AFCON. But we have been different shades of dreadful since Brighton away.
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when pne got their second their midfield were camped on our 18 yard line, and where wes westwood behind our defence,oh and please do me a favour with grealish SHOW PONNYI thought murder mystery had a good debut, ally the noo played well, adomah amavi need to beef up, Best game ive seen Gabriel have this century.
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Cannot keep clean sheets, a big worry if you talking about play offs
We are talking a lot less about it these days.
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The first half was really good and Lansbury made a massive difference, driving from midfield and moving the ball quickly.
Second half he tired and the whole team seemed to lose energy and momentum. We did though have several break away opportunities to finish the game off.
I should also say I thought Agbonlahor had a decent game and led the line well. We missed Jedinak when Preston were forcing the game.
Bruce has just said McCormack was dropped from the squad for being unfit and missing training. Another one to add to the disasters of the last few years.
So the team aren't fit enough to last 90 minutes; and McCorshat isn't even fit enough to start today?! I don't think you need to be Sherlock Sodding Holmes to suss-out a reoccurring theme here. >:(
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just back - an unpardonable capitulation second half, if Kodjia had been playing today we might have won. Oh, and Jack is shite - always abdicates responsibility for the final ball . Very poor. One plus point was Henri though, at last someone who can actually pass.
We'll soon knock that out of him, have no fear.
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Completely blame Bruce for that, the first half was brilliant the best we have played this season.
After ten minutes of the second half, you could see that we were playing too deep again inviting Preston to attack us. You just knew what was going to happen!
As Bruce did not change it I can only surmise that is what Bruce wanted the players to do!
Christ almighty we don't half have some weak individuals in the Villa team, Grealish (an airy fairy player), Adomah (even though he scored two goals he was crap), Amavi (why does he pass the ball back so much). Gabby played really well in the first half but as someone said next to me, about bloody time on £65k a week!
Johnstone wasn't overly impressive but you couldn't blame Westwood or Hutton today although I am certain it won't stop some people.
How on earth did Green miss that open goal, that was poor by any standards but he played well after that and didn't drop his head.
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We spent fuckin millions on Mac and now they decide he's fuckin unfit !!! He misses training !! Can't we sue the basted not just for his wages but his transfer fee as well...fuckin unfit...a professional footballer and unfit ! Fuckin gross misconduct if a professional footballer is unfit. What a piss take.
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I forgot the boy Green , we have a PLAYER thought he was excellent.
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Just seen the goals on SSN...
For the first goal, there are 5 Villa players out of position and unable to stop their player running from the half way line, and 3 of them miss their tackles on the edge of the box. Pathetic.
For the second, Jack doesn't do enough to prevent the cross coming in, and their player is unmarked in front of goal. Pathetic again.
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...you couldn't blame Westwood or Hutton today although I am certain it won't stop some people...
Burn the heretic.
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We spent fuckin millions on Mac
So that's where he gets the money for those bikes!
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Just got back, and while I thaw out, I'm thinking about so many things today.
Fist half was excellent. There was movement, slick passing, space creation and a bit of a swagger about us. The 2 centre halfs were great, Gabby looked lively, Adomah was having his best game for us and we were creating chances.
Even Westwood looked like a proper midfielder.
And the cherry on the cake was Lansbury who really looked the complete package.
The second was fucking gash!!
From the 50th minute you could see the team starting to drop back and sit in.
Grealish (who I rate immensely and always, always defend) decided to play like a petulant schoolboy and effectively gave up.
You could see it coming, their goal, and once that happened most of us could have scripted what happened for the remainder of the game.
The only surprise is that we didn't actually lose.
Our passing went to piss.
Any belief we had went out the window.
We are still a very, very fragile team and it going to take a lot to get away from that.
Lingering hopes of a play off place this season?
Not a firigging chance.
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Still undefeated at home under Bruce, I suppose...
and RDM.
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Still undefeated at home under Bruce, I suppose...
and RDM.
Marvellous!
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I personally would have used 25 not 20.
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Hutton was having a stormer and then decided he should play the number 10 role for 5 mins...hence being out of position for their goal. I was going to give him the family MOM award too. A prize nugget he made me feel.
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I don't get it. 2-0 up and cruising with PNE offering nothing. So what do we do. Invite them on to attack us. Shocking team play. We could have got at them and scored a few more but no we drop back and allow them into the game. Was anybody really surprised they scored and went on to get a 2nd? The only surprise was that they didn't push for the winner.
I'm a fan of Grealish but today he wasn't at it. Gabby put a shift in as did Hutton. Don't understand why Tshbola was left out. Do understand why McCormack was. Not fit enough half way through the season is totally unacceptable.
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Just got back - at least got out and home very quickly!
Overall, the first half really was very good. They passed, they moved, almost everyone was involved and we really should have been more than two nil up. The second half, though, was dreadful. They let Preston get into their faces and knock them off their stride and they stopped moving off the ball for one another. Nevertheless, I'm going to try and take the positives and say if we get another midfielder and Lansbury match fit, we really should improve.
Match ratings:
Johnstone - 6 - didn't really have anything to do other than pick the ball out of the net twice. Made a couple of decent punches and blocks at the front post though.
Hutton - 6 - actually thought he played quite well in the first half. Bombed forward but rather than aimlessly crossing it, he worked well with Adomah and there was some end product. Second half he stopped doing this and should have closed their winger down much faster for the second.
Chester - 7 - continues to be a calm head and martialled their big lad well for the majority of the game.
Baker - 7 - growing partnership with Chester and did well. Not sure who/if someone let their man go for the equaliser though so that might affect my marks.
Amavi - 7 - looked better today and started getting forward again. He looks much better when he has someone directly in front of him rather than someone like grealish who will drift inside.
Westwood - 3 - where do you start. Didn't do much wrong other than a couple of bottles challenges but he offers absolutely nothing. He doesn't tackle, he doesn't pass it forward, he's the most insignificant player ever. Even when we were v good in the first half, he did absolutely nothing.
Lansbury - 7 - did very well in the first half. Wanted the ball, made some good forward passes, a couple in particular were class. What was v encouraging was his willingness to break forward which helps grealish no end because it gives him someone to pass to and work through.
Adomah - 8 - scored 2 so have to give him a high mark but was no better or worse than anyone else to be honest.
Green - 7 - v promising overall and had more of an impact than I thought someone with his lack of experience would have done.
Grealish - 8 - thought he was v good today actually but Preston didn't half go agricultural on him in the second half, which really hindered us. He's someone who will play and be much better when he has player running off him and around him, which is exactly what happened in the first half. It's no coincidence his best run of form came when we had Delph and Cleverley breaking from midfield to support him.
Agbonlahor - 7 - it pains me to see him on the team sheet and I'll never forgive him for last season and think he's generally just not good enough but he was actually decent today. Held the ball up well, worked hard and laid it off to others. Not sure whether his effort was going in before adomah tapped it in but he could probably have downbeat with that goal to be honest.
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Just got back and still scratching my head at how we threw it away. Forget the play-offs if we can't beat Preston, who were truly woeful in the first half. We should've been out of sight although I wasn't sure about our penalty (but haven't seen it again so could be wrong).
We played well for about an hour but it was poor play to let the lumbering centre forward waltz through and then Grealish switched off at the corner.
I don't know what to make of him today. Got fouled a lot but his final ball and decision making was poor.
Gabby got more involved and did quite well, but my expectation level is so low that it probably made me think he was playing better than he was and Bruce seems to have given him a lot of leeway and support that I still don't get it.
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No plan B, proper target man, a keeper who again comes too quickly for the ball. And how poor were we second half
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Oh, and Johnstone.
STOP FUCKING PUCHING THE BALL, CATCH THE FUCKER!!!!!!!
Nearly cost us a goal with a punch (that was easier to catch) that only went to the edge of our box with one of theirs able to latch onto it for a screamer that went just wide.
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RDM esque. Plus ca change.
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Surprised how well we played for an hour. There was real fluency there which we haven't seen for a long time.
Lansbury played very well for an hour....all this movement off the ball and exquisite passing....how long before we train that out of him at Bodymoor?
Then it all went wrong....really SB should've made a sub at the hour mark as Lansbury understandbly tired so our midfield became what it has been for most of this season. Adomah also drifted badly out of the game.
I think we were also in shock that a big lump like Hugill could score such a good goal out of nowhere that gave PNE a second wind.
TBH our performances and run since xmas have resigned me to another season in the championship....we've blown another opportunity today so I really can't see us making the top 6 even if we sign another 2-3 this window.
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Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?
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Really disappointed and frustrated by that result after playing some good stuff in the first half! We must get behind Bruce. He is finding a petulant indisciplined dressing room and is trying to stop a culture that has been going on for years and we need another season to fix this. I fully back him over McCormack and we have two many of his like in the squad at the moment
Marks
Johnstone -5 did nothing much other than pick the ball out the net. Needs to learn to catch rather than punch
Hutton-8- you can never fault his efforts and did well today
Chester -6 - steady but not a captain for me
Baker - 6 - looks solid but we conceded twice second half and the partnership needs to improve
Amavi-6 - player who sums up our season some good play some woeful for me needs to improve his decision making and be on it for 90 mins
Adomah-6- scored two goals but does he work hard enough. He tracks back yes but he does not effect the game enough for me
Lansbury -8 - great debut and looks a player we desperately need a winner a player who wants it and loves football more than the wage packet unlike most of our players. Forward thinking forward running will improve us
Westwood- 5- saw a 3 earlier which is harsh. But he just simply does not do enough to effect a game. Just been a tidy passer cannot warrant a place
Grealish - 5- one of the most frustrating players I've ever seen. You can see the talent but his work off the ball just isn't good enough. He should be revelling in this league but he isn't and for me that's down to workrate
Green - 6.5- did well and loved the way he wanted to beat a man. Deserves a run
Gabby - 7 - I'd rather a player who lacks skill but tries his nuts off than a show pony. We deserve payback off him and he did well
We need to use the rest of the season to form a shape and formation and build a team spirit and work ethic. I'm convinced Bruce will get us up next season if backed in the summer to get rid of the primadonnas and bring the right players to this great club
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Played really well in the first half when PNE were very poor, but a scrappy goal and a dubious penalty (haven't seen replays yet) should have been enough to go on to take all three points. Obviously Grayson gave them a rocket at half time and they came out firing in the second half - even so, better decision making from Flabby, when he could and should have run straight through and taken the goalie on one on one instead of a poor pass, and likewise Grealish making a poor pass when we were through again, and we'd have run out easy winners. As long as we continue to play Westwood we'll have mental as well as physical frailties in midfield - Lansbury made up for it in the first half but when you end up with Westwood and Gardner in midfield you end up with nothing, but other players were very poor - yes that's you messrs Grealish and Amavi. Furious to find out about McCormack's attitude from Bruce on the way back - and today was the sort of game where he could have picked up a couple of goals - but he can fuck right off to anyone stupid enough to take him on.
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Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?
Yes he was flagging by the hour mark which is when I think PNE scored their first, really should've been off for Bacuna by that point. He hasn't played since early December.
Today reminded me a bit of the Stoke game from years back under MON. That was a death knell to that season and today will be similar I think. PNE offered nothing for the first hour.
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To be honest I think Gollini looked a better keeper than Johnstone
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Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?
Yes he was flagging by the hour mark which is when I think PNE scored their first, really should've been off for Bacuna by that point. He hasn't played since early December.
Today reminded me a bit of the Stoke game from years back under MON. That was a death knell to that season and today will be similar I think. PNE offered nothing for the first hour.
Stoke was the death knell of the club as we knew it. Pretty much down hill since. We could have gone 8 points ahead of Arsenal in third if I recall. Sigh. Now we get excited about signings from Barnsley
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Very good first half, best for ages.
Second half we reverted to type. Bottled it plain and simple. We simply aren't used to being in winning positions and don't know how to play when leading.
Amavi is gash. £25m is laughable.
We still need a striker, especially as McCormack will be off aswell.
Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.
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It sounded pretty noisy to me
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2nd half really showed why we need more in midfield. Ok, Lansbury was knackered as he has not play for a while, but we really need strengthening there.
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Well, having just got back I think I can say:
- we saw the best 45 minutes of the season in the first half. I thought we moved the ball well and quickly. We managed the game well, kept the game high up the pitch and kept the opposition completely contained. We scored two and should have had at least one more (Green's header inexplicably missed).
- we saw a complete mismanagement of a game in the second half. WTF did Bruce say or suggest that the team should drop 12-15m and start slowing the game down. Why suddenly start the tippy-tappy football? Why look to give the ball back to the CB all the time instead of putting PNE to the sword?
Positives:
Gabby - thought he played well.
Westwood - had a very good first half.
Lansbury - Ditto. Faded completely.
Green - played pretty okay for most of the game.
Negatives:
Grealish was poor.
Steve Bruce - why the change in strategy? Why the reticence about bringing on subs? Why can't we close a game out?
I'll read the other posts now.
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Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.
This constant sniping at Villa crowds is a very elaborate wind up. Kudos.
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Typical Villa...just as we start to see the shoots of recovery someone comes in and napalms the entire forest.
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Adamoah acted the pr*ck for that first goal, haven't seen one of those in a long while
Grealish's effort to stop their cross coming in was pathetic, centre back/goalkeeper axis looks at sea too
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Non existent midfield. No stamina. Get Conor in ASAP. Bring Jedinak back and get them in a three man mid with Lansbury. Enough fucking around. Gabby is pointless. The fullbacks are shite, and we still need a decent, experienced keeper.
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Highlights (http://www.skysports.com/football/a-villa-vs-preston/358422)
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I honestly think Gollini was better than Johnstone. Seems a strange replacement to me.
Grealish continues to do nothing every game. Swaggers about the pitch but does nothing to back it up. He's an average player who was built up to be something he's not.
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Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.
During my time in the Holte End it's always reacted in response with what's going on on the pitch. After the last 5+ years they're lucky there's one fan in the stadium. Any criticism towards the paying supporter is, IMO, nothing short of insulting.
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Thought Lansbury looked excellent . Loads of energy and confidence, getting back and running forward. The complete opposite of Westwood who went missing again.
Greene looks a prospect as well.
Grealish frustrates me. Can look good but slow and weak
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Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.
During my time in the Holte End it's always reacted in response with what's going on on the pitch. After the last 5+ years they're lucky there's one fan in the stadium. Any criticism towards the paying supporter is, IMO, nothing short of insulting.
It's just QV's thing.
We were very quiet against Wolves away last week apparently- despite Tatters and even people who watched it on TV telling me how loud we sounded.
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The atmosphere was fine including the moving 72nd minute tribute with the mobiles.
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The Holte was in fine voice today. We sang One Graham Taylor and Graham Taylor's claret and blue army all through the tribute and all through the 72nd minute. Anybody who thinks our support is inferior really should be either sectioned or have their ears syringed.
Bruce should have pulled Grealish off after an hour. Gabby and Grealish should both have scored instead of passing. Johnstone looks no better than Golly. Five captain's on the pitch but no effort made at all to get back up to speed after the break. We give the opposition just what they need. Clear signs that we might be bottling it.
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Hutton was having a stormer and then decided he should play the number 10 role for 5 mins...hence being out of position for their goal. I was going to give him the family MOM award too. A prize nugget he made me feel.
Hutton out of position? You must be pulling my leg.
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Massively disappointing result to throw away two points.
We played really well first half and should have scored number 3 and 4 in the second. Two really bad goals to concede.
We dropped a little too deep and stayed too open second half against a side with no pace, especially when Robinson went off and a side that I think lacks any kind of quality, so to chuck it away against such a blunt, workman like outfit is maddening.
Grealish decision making was very poor I felt. If Hourihane had signed this week, you can bet he'd have stuck his shot away and not had any issue feeding Gabby.
There are positives now I've calmed down.
Lansbury; what a difference. Movement and purpose to him and it appeared infectious. He tired and that saw us revert to a more traditional clueless midfield ways when he went off. The boy can pass too and he's a horrible snide. I'm hopeful he's going to have a big impact.
I think Jack has played his last for a time, especially if Hourihane comes in.
Seems Jedinak's form had coincided with a groin injury he's been carrying for over a month. While McCormack's behaviour is disgraceful.
Green and Adomah did good and bad things. They stepped closer to us second half which stopped us feeding them effectively. But it should have been academic. There was something of the Huddersfield game about that.
Baker missed that free header too. Maddening. Especially to leave that talentless lump free in the box, with no pressure on the cross either.
The gap has marginally closed. It should only be 7 and we're leaving ourselves with less wiggle room, even accounting for a need to beat Wednesday, it's still 6 points and a potential 4 game turn around.
More Lansbury and less Gardner and we've got a chance.
A mention to Gabby as well. Worked hard. Very hard and created problems too.
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I wasn't there today but it sounded like we were great first half but sat back in the second. Being two up and getting only a point is disappointing and bloody frustrating.
As for the comment about the noise in the Holte, again I wasn't there today but I personally sit in the Holte because I want to, not because I say I want to be in there. As silly a comment as I've heard for a while, but i'm not overly surprised to be honest.
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Don't let it worry you, all he ever does is talk about our support ::)
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I honestly think Gollini was better than Johnstone. Seems a strange replacement to me.
Grealish continues to do nothing every game. Swaggers about the pitch but does nothing to back it up. He's an average player who was built up to be something he's not.
Couldn't agree more about Johnstone - good shot stopper its the rest of his game that's worrying.
Grealish understand your point Quinton however he looks good on the ball, goes down fall too easily and one or two referees will start to get the real hump with him. Its his thought process that's worrying just not there.
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Don't let it worry you, all he ever does is talk about our support ::)
Thinking about it, has anyone ever seen him and Tony Pulis in the same room? 🤔
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The Holte was in fine voice today. We sang One Graham Taylor and Graham Taylor's claret and blue army all through the tribute and all through the 72nd minute. Anybody who thinks our support is inferior really should be either sectioned or have their ears syringed.
Bruce should have pulled Grealish off after an hour. Gabby and Grealish should both have scored instead of passing. Johnstone looks no better than Golly. Five captain's on the pitch but no effort made at all to get back up to speed after the break. We give the opposition just what they need. Clear signs that we might be bottling it.
The 72nd minute looked awesome
I think some of the atmosphere is to do with acoustics, ive sat in a1 in the upper trinity and struggled to hear the holte. Today in the upper doug (albeit by the preston fans) i couldnt really hear anything from the holte even though it would have been rocking in there during the tribute
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I was in L3 today, and the atmosphere lower down is fairly muted.
As an aside, Im almost fifty, my eyesight is failing slightly and 80% of todays game was at the other end of the fucking pitch.
Glad Angela had those orange boots on so I could identify our new boy.
Great phone tribute on 72 too.
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Personally I really enjoyed that game, think sometimes we need to recognise there are 2 teams on the pitch who will both do good and bad things - the fact that this season we are invariably watching a competitive game is brilliant.
First half I thought was probably our best 45 minutes all season, we were on the front foot and looked like we had a threat, second half I thought we were doing just fine until they scored a very decent goal, second goal was just rank bad defending and like the Leeds goal when Gollini got slaughtered the real error is in the space the wide man has to get in the cross i.e. jack today.
Other than 15 mins at the end when both full backs turned to jelly & Adomah who strangely I thought was poor throughout all played pretty well Westwood & Gabby included. Lansbury looked a class above for an hour & the pace / directness of Green was a joy to see.
If only Bruce had been in charge all summer, can't help but think we had have a better, more balanced squad who are all physically fit to tackle this league...subsequently we would be comfortably top 6
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The Holte was in fine voice today. We sang One Graham Taylor and Graham Taylor's claret and blue army all through the tribute and all through the 72nd minute. Anybody who thinks our support is inferior really should be either sectioned or have their ears syringed.
Bruce should have pulled Grealish off after an hour. Gabby and Grealish should both have scored instead of passing. Johnstone looks no better than Golly. Five captain's on the pitch but no effort made at all to get back up to speed after the break. We give the opposition just what they need. Clear signs that we might be bottling it.
The 72nd minute looked awesome
The Holte looked fantastic lit up from the North Stand.
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I suggest we should have somebody in the tunnel to jab them in the arse with a cattle prod when they come out for the second half.
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Massively disappointing result to throw away two points.
We played really well first half and should have scored number 3 and 4 in the second. Two really bad goals to concede.
We dropped a little too deep and stayed too open second half against a side with no pace, especially when Robinson went off and a side that I think lacks any kind of quality, so to chuck it away against such a blunt, workman like outfit is maddening.
Grealish decision making was very poor I felt. If Hourihane had signed this week, you can bet he'd have stuck his shot away and not had any issue feeding Gabby.
There are positives now I've calmed down.
Lansbury; what a difference. Movement and purpose to him and it appeared infectious. He tired and that saw us revert to a more traditional clueless midfield ways when he went off. The boy can pass too and he's a horrible snide. I'm hopeful he's going to have a big impact.
I think Jack has played his last for a time, especially if Hourihane comes in.
Seems Jedinak's form had coincided with a groin injury he's been carrying for over a month. While McCormack's behaviour is disgraceful.
Green and Adomah did good and bad things. They stepped closer to us second half which stopped us feeding them effectively. But it should have been academic. There was something of the Huddersfield game about that.
Baker missed that free header too. Maddening. Especially to leave that talentless lump free in the box, with no pressure on the cross either.
The gap has marginally closed. It should only be 7 and we're leaving ourselves with less wiggle room, even accounting for a need to beat Wednesday, it's still 6 points and a potential 4 game turn around.
More Lansbury and less Gardner and we've got a chance.
A mention to Gabby as well. Worked hard. Very hard and created problems too.
Good summary, and saves me typing which is a good thing as drink has been taken.
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Really disappointed. Not a bad performance. Will be much better when loser Westwood and Fatty aren't anywhere near the side.
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Massively disappointing result to throw away two points.
We played really well first half and should have scored number 3 and 4 in the second. Two really bad goals to concede.
We dropped a little too deep and stayed too open second half against a side with no pace, especially when Robinson went off and a side that I think lacks any kind of quality, so to chuck it away against such a blunt, workman like outfit is maddening.
Grealish decision making was very poor I felt. If Hourihane had signed this week, you can bet he'd have stuck his shot away and not had any issue feeding Gabby.
There are positives now I've calmed down.
Lansbury; what a difference. Movement and purpose to him and it appeared infectious. He tired and that saw us revert to a more traditional clueless midfield ways when he went off. The boy can pass too and he's a horrible snide. I'm hopeful he's going to have a big impact.
I think Jack has played his last for a time, especially if Hourihane comes in.
Seems Jedinak's form had coincided with a groin injury he's been carrying for over a month. While McCormack's behaviour is disgraceful.
Green and Adomah did good and bad things. They stepped closer to us second half which stopped us feeding them effectively. But it should have been academic. There was something of the Huddersfield game about that.
Baker missed that free header too. Maddening. Especially to leave that talentless lump free in the box, with no pressure on the cross either.
The gap has marginally closed. It should only be 7 and we're leaving ourselves with less wiggle room, even accounting for a need to beat Wednesday, it's still 6 points and a potential 4 game turn around.
More Lansbury and less Gardner and we've got a chance.
A mention to Gabby as well. Worked hard. Very hard and created problems too.
Good summary, and saves me typing which is a good thing as drink has been taken.
Yeah thanks Ads.
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Thanks Ads - all other contributors who were there today and wrote reports and marks.
It is very refreshing to read some realism instead of the crap you get on the net or in sports pages.
Much appreciated by those of us who can't easily get there, I am sure.
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The Holte was in fine voice today. We sang One Graham Taylor and Graham Taylor's claret and blue army all through the tribute and all through the 72nd minute. Anybody who thinks our support is inferior really should be either sectioned or have their ears syringed.
Bruce should have pulled Grealish off after an hour. Gabby and Grealish should both have scored instead of passing. Johnstone looks no better than Golly. Five captain's on the pitch but no effort made at all to get back up to speed after the break. We give the opposition just what they need. Clear signs that we might be bottling it.
The 72nd minute looked awesome
The Holte looked fantastic lit up from the North Stand.
As did the North Stand from the Holte
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Well its becoming clearer that we have another season in the championship. Bruce will get us up but with his squad. Need to offload some players in the summer and bring in some more physical and resilient players next season. Teams get results from us from desire.
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I've not seen the match, so can't really comment on it. I just wanted to say how it amazes me how much gabby and Westwood polarise opinion between a lot of people on here.
Reading the comments from a lot of posters, I'm genuinely struggling to understand whether both players had shit or good games today. It's baffling.
I think at least with Gabby, Bruce is probably thinking: he's costing me 65 grand a week from my wage budget and used to be a decent player, I may as well see if I can get a tune out of him. he'll not be going anywhere whilst he's on that kind of money here.
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Watching their equaliser again, I have to say Grealish's lack of effort in preventing the cross was pretty appalling.
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Watching their equaliser again, I have to say Grealish's lack of effort in preventing the cross was pretty appalling.
Thought the same. May as well have stayed at home with Ross with that lack of effort
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It was pathetic to be honest.
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I honestly think Gollini was better than Johnstone. Seems a strange replacement to me.
Grealish continues to do nothing every game. Swaggers about the pitch but does nothing to back it up. He's an average player who was built up to be something he's not.
Did you see the game?
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I wasn't there today but it sounded like we were great first half but sat back in the second. Being two up and getting only a point is disappointing and bloody frustrating.
As for the comment about the noise in the Holte, again I wasn't there today but I personally sit in the Holte because I want to, not because I say I want to be in there. As silly a comment as I've heard for a while, but i'm not overly surprised to be honest.
Not particularly picking out your post - many felt we sat back but it wasn't like that.
Angela was fucked and should have been taken off earlier, Westwood did his usual impersonation of the invisible man and that allowed them to take control of the midfield.
Adomah did't really do much to comeback and bolster the midfield. Green presumably was told to stay forward and be in a position where his pace could hurt them. To be fair Grealish tried and now seems to be getting the neck from a few on here for being light weight.
All of which would have been academic if we hadn't missed decent chances at the start of the 2nd half or indeed didn't allow a free header for their second.
Basically it all confirms what most of us know - we need Lansbury to be fully fit and someone else to play alongside him. For all his faults Grealish remains the player with the most quality but he needs to be more selfish/ruthless in attack.
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I delayed my trip back to be at the game. Fantastic tribute to Graham Taylor.
We are a shambles of a squad, as soon as they got a bit physical and pressed we collectively folded.
We had no midfield when Lansbury tired and went off, the fact that you end up playing with Westwood and Bacuna tells you everything.
We are a mid table second division team.
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First trip back to Villa Park after a two year absence. We don't look much different really, opposition keeper with little to do, no clear tactics. Only difference was being gifted a two goal head start to help us avoid a defeat.
I feel sorry for Westwood (as much as you can feel sorry for a well paid footballer). It's not his fault Villa have kept playing him all this time and even when he is not the worst player in the team on the day (Amavi) doesn't cost us a goal due to laziness (Grealish) and at least turns up to training unlike some (McCormack) he still gets the most abuse.
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Grealish had five or six occasions during the game, when the right pass in an attacking position would have created a goal scoring opportunity. In each case he couldn't create the assist. So very frustrating.
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First time I been down to a league game in 18 months .
Thought we were good for 60 minutes . Gabby put a shift in , Lansbury a class car and green got potential .
Downsides grealish who was awful .
Give Bruce time , we not going up this season and never were .
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Didn't follow closely but have seen the highlights and caught some analysis
Sounds like we played really well first half and lansbury did well? The benefit of having midfielders who can pas no doubt? (ie no Jedinak Bacuna or Gardner)
Didn't really seem to create many great chances though - apart from green's header and a chance that grealish telegraphed. Thought we were pretty lucky with both goals
Shocking marking for the equaliser
We're not going up this season so I hope we can spend the rest of the season establishing a way of playing that balances some of the quality we've shown in flashes with the backbone we initially had when Bruce arrived
How did green do?
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Oh and I have to say the highlights made it sound like there was about 500 people at the game
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then it shows how misleading highlights can be. We were vocal and PNE were vocal.
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I delayed my trip back to be at the game. Fantastic tribute to Graham Taylor.
We are a shambles of a squad, as soon as they got a bit physical and pressed we collectively folded.
We had no midfield when Lansbury tired and went off, the fact that you end up playing with Westwood and Bacuna tells you everything.
We are a mid table second division team.
Why is Lansbury not fit? It's mid season and I thought he'd been playing. Also he has probably only had one session at Bodymoor to get him out of condition.
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I delayed my trip back to be at the game. Fantastic tribute to Graham Taylor.
We are a shambles of a squad, as soon as they got a bit physical and pressed we collectively folded.
We had no midfield when Lansbury tired and went off, the fact that you end up playing with Westwood and Bacuna tells you everything.
We are a mid table second division team.
Why is Lansbury not fit? It's mid season and I thought he'd been playing. Also he has probably only had one session at Bodymoor to get him out of condition.
He hasn't played since early December
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Ah. I didn't know that. Fair enough then.
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I think he picked up an injury and hasn't got on the pitch since. With that and the move speculation he didn't feature for Forest. I'd say not a bad debut considering on just a single session with us. Head and shoulders above anything we have at the moment. Set piece quality was really good apart from 1 I recall. Gets his foot in. Sprayed some fine passes around an seemed available for the ball a lot. Going to be a combative git which will be a big piece in our promotion jigsaw ( Probaly for next season I know), and which is exactly what we need in midfield.
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Lansbury and hourihane will make our midfield a thousand times better than it's been
I'm feeling optimistic about next season. There won't be a new version of Newcastle in the league next year
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I think so too. Im repeating myself, but I don't think Hourihane would have fluffed his shot or the ball into Gabby at the start of the 2nd half like Grealish did.
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I've just watched the highlights, blimey that was never a penalty. No wonder the northern monkeys got a bit upset.
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Ref did his best to make amends to them in the second half though.
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Ref did his best to make amends to them in the second half though.
Exactly how I saw it, some very strange decisions which certainly helped them out.
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More annoyed by the McCormack revelations than the game to be honest.
Pretty sure we'll see improvement between now and May. Too much to turn last year's shambles around to promotion this year though.
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It's official - I hate football
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I can't ever remember seeing five (?) different penalty takers for us in a season.
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Thought Grealish was poor again and if we sign Hourihane and another Striker I can't see him getting in the side.
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Thought Grealish was poor again and if we sign Hourihane and another Striker I can't see him getting in the side.
He should have been better but I wouldn't say he was poor. He played his part in the first goal and was a nuisance all day to Preston, and won us loads of free kicks. He's more frustrating than anything, as we know there's loads more to come from him. I'd rather a Villa team with him in it (with all the frustrations that come with him) than a team without him.
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Villa:
!st Half = Barcelona(ish)
2nd Half = Bloxwich Under 15 Juniors (Reserves)
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Thought Grealish was poor again and if we sign Hourihane and another Striker I can't see him getting in the side.
He should have been better but I wouldn't say he was poor. He played his part in the first goal and was a nuisance all day to Preston, and won us loads of free kicks. He's more frustrating than anything, as we know there's loads more to come from him. I'd rather a Villa team with him in it (with all the frustrations that come with him) than a team without him.
I agree with this. It's not that he's poor but seems too laid back and ends up frustrating . Need to see more urgency from him
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After the usual 2nd half of being torn apart by faster,stronger opponents,I couldn't face the agony of reading the comments here last night.However,Bruce's post match comments and Hourihane's performance v Leeds cheered me up and the realisation that Bruce is tackling the problems posed by a weak midfield. It was a pity yesterday that Lansbury hadn't played recently and when he tired,the midfield was gone.Grealish,Adomah and Westwood offering little resistance and less and less going forward.Bruce normally is good on substitutions,certainly in comparison to Sherwood,but should really have replaced him earlier.With Hourihane ,Lansbury and Green,we are going to have a far better midfield,defensivelyreating and scoring goals. And the other new player who impressed was the hard working player up front .I hadn't seen him before ,was he promoted from the U21s or did Di Matteo buy him ?
When I asked who he was,everyone just swore.Who is the mystery ,no.11 ?
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PNE's players looked fitter than ours.
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PNE's players looked fitter than ours.
That is not hard!
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Torn apart? Behave.
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Torn apart? Behave.
Eh?
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The highlight of the second half yesterday was watching Gabby trying to sprint away on the break like it was 2005 - cheeks puffed out, fists pumping.
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The highlight of the second half yesterday was watching Gabby trying to sprint away on the break like it was 2005 - cheeks puffed out, fists pumping.
Actually felt a little bad for him. He's never going to be that Gabby but he deserved a better pass from Jack at the end of it. It was his best display for a while which granted ain't saying a lot
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I don't feel sorry for Gabby at all. He deserves all the stick he gets,
in my view. I thought we should've paid him up and fucked him off in the summer.
It is to Bruce and the coaching staff's credit that they've got him resembling a professional footballer again. His influence in the dressing room still concerns me though and it is for that reason why I stand by my pre-season view on him. If he'd looked after himself the last few years, there's less chance we'd be in this league for starters and now we are in it, he'd likely be ripping it apart. Former established England international, let's not forget.
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The Gabby performance on Saturday okay 1st half, got to be honest did not notice him on the pitch in the 2nd half, also the same can be said for a few others including Lansbury, who bottled the challenge on the half way line that their guy went on the run that he scored from!
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I cringed when some were singing Gabby's name on Saturday. He tried yes, which is the least you expect of a professional footballer and supposed Villa fan on thousands of pounds a week. It seems him running about a bit for 45 minutes was enough for some to forgive him, embarrassing. He's shit and has been for years, and his attitude over the past couple of years was no better than Lescott.
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Was it on sky in U.K. Or did you go?
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The Gabby performance on Saturday okay 1st half, got to be honest did not notice him on the pitch in the 2nd half, also the same can be said for a few others including Lansbury, who bottled the challenge on the half way line that their guy went on the run that he scored from!
I don't recall him particularly bottling a challenge, but I might have missed it.
I do remember 1 absolutely, massive crunching tackle he flew into in the second half, shortly after Jack was being targeted.
Reminiscence of the Clarke challenge a couple of years ago.
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I cringed when some were singing Gabby's name on Saturday.
Hang on, you said the other day that the atmosphere was dreadful because the fans weren't contributing; now you're saying they were singing. Make your mind up. (Or is it that they were singing, but they weren't singing because they wanted to sing, they just wanted to be able to say they'd been singing?)
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I cringed when some were singing Gabby's name on Saturday. He tried yes, which is the least you expect of a professional footballer and supposed Villa fan on thousands of pounds a week. It seems him running about a bit for 45 minutes was enough for some to forgive him, embarrassing. He's shit and has been for years, and his attitude over the past couple of years was no better than Lescott.
Embarrassing? really? Its football mate, he didnt kill anyone. Dont be embarrassed that there are people who are willing to forgive the shortcomings of others. People make mistakes and chose the wrong path sometimes but all ive seen from him this season is determination to try and make ammends and make a go of things again. Dont forget that he doesnt need to, he is already made for life.
I wasnt there but I think others see the same and appreciate his effort
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Gabby put himself about on Saturday. He was better than he has been, but we still need far more to cut it in this league.
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he ran about a bit, I'd grant you, but other than huff and puff he didn't do anything.
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he ran about a bit, I'd grant you, but other than huff and puff he didn't do anything.
Apart from creating the first goal you mean?
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I cringed when some were singing Gabby's name on Saturday.
You seem to spend a lot of time critiquing the Villa support each match, are you by any chance somebody who used to send local gig reviews in to NME but never got any published?
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he ran about a bit, I'd grant you, but other than huff and puff he didn't do anything.
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You can see why he wants a new right back. What Hutton was doing for their first goal i'll never know. He was in the middle of the pitch when they broke.
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You can see why he wants a new right back. What Hutton was doing for their first goal i'll never know. He was in the middle of the pitch when they broke.
Yup, I mentioned that in the Match thread. It's not the first time either he goes walk about. Bruce needs to have a word.
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For a (former) international player with a good numbers of caps, Hutton's positional sense is absolutely atrocious.
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Hutton is a terrible player who gets away with it a lot by busting a gut a few times so he's 'showing some passion' but if you actually watch him in a game he gets caught out of position far too often and he commits to tackles far too easily as well. If he provided something going forward I'd be more forgiving but he doesn't, ever. This is why I find it frustrating that people say he's fine for this level, he really isn't he's a liability and the sooner he's gone the better.