Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: kippaxvilla2 on January 06, 2018, 05:01:12 PM
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We did well to hold them but their class showed in the end.
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Classic Villa.
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‘We’ve had a horrible one. It just shows you what this league is like anyone can beat anyone. It’s that sort of league. I suppose it’s crisis time at Villa again this week is it. Off with me Head. Look congratulations to Peterborough they’re a very very good side. I’ve got nine injuries and my cap’in is only back for the first time since November. We move onto next week.’
‘But steve they aren’t in our league and this was the cup.’
‘I suppose it’s crisis time again at Villa is it?’
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Fair play to Peterborough, they came to have a go and got their just rewards
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Fair play to Peterborough, they came to have a go and got their just rewards
Very good!
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taxi for everyone
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Schooled by a Barry Fry Peterborough, you must be on thin ice now fist face.
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Wasn’t following the match, I fell asleep at 1-0 and woke up at 3-1. So our reserves and kids aren’t that good and the player we bought from Chelsea didn’t improve us in the slightest?
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For all the money spent, our squad isn't great and our manager doesn't seem to be able to get more out of them through charisma or ideas. We piss this competition away yet again.
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Team put out was not good enough I'm afraid.
Club as a whole obviously not good enough in its present state to compete for this trophy, I'd say that's fairly obvious.
Whisper it quietly but it might not be the worst thing to happen to us. Newcastle and Brighton were both beaten by lower league teams in last seasons competition and didn't do either any harm.
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It's not as if they got lucky.
We were lucky to just concede three. Sorry Mr Bruce, but that's not fucking good enough.
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Schooled by a Barry Fry Peterborough, you must be on thin ice now fist face.
He dosen't manage them.
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Was expected - if we do one good result, we piss up the next
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I'm not that bothered about being out the cup (this year) but am very bothered by the performance. That was supposedly a strong team and some of these players were meant to be pushing for 1st team places.
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Sounds like they played us off the pitch, pretty grim as we all thought the team looked pretty good, in the great scheme of things it's not the end of the world, but still embarrassing.
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That's the Villa, QPR, Bristol City and Brentford going out to teams from a lower division. Small consolation, we have a squad of players who set up properly should be capable of beating the likes of Peterborough.
Bollocks, I was looking forward to a cup waddle at the very least.
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In the overall scheme of things this isn’t the most important match of the season.
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Team put out was not good enough I'm afraid.
Club as a whole obviously not good enough in its present state to compete for this trophy, I'd say that's fairly obvious.
Whisper it quietly but it might not be the worst thing to happen to us. Newcastle and Brighton were both beaten by lower league teams in last seasons competition and didn't do either any harm.
So we better dominate the rest of the way then like those two teams did. I watched Derby yesterday take Man U very late into the game at Old Trafford and lose. You can still put in a decent showing even if the outcome is a defeat. They will take heart from that game and they rotated their line up. We won't take any confidence from this debacle. So I hope you're right and we kick off where left off vs Bristol City at Forest next week.
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Team put out was not good enough I'm afraid.
Club as a whole obviously not good enough in its present state to compete for this trophy, I'd say that's fairly obvious.
Whisper it quietly but it might not be the worst thing to happen to us. Newcastle and Brighton were both beaten by lower league teams in last seasons competition and didn't do either any harm.
Bruce will use it as justication that the squad needs to be strengthened in Jan as the likes of O'Hare, RHM, Bree etc aren't up to it yet.
Green going off at half time is worrying, hopefully only a precaution.
Elphick should have started next to Terry, playing Bree centre back was nonsense.
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Team put out was not good enough I'm afraid.
Club as a whole obviously not good enough in its present state to compete for this trophy, I'd say that's fairly obvious.
Whisper it quietly but it might not be the worst thing to happen to us. Newcastle and Brighton were both beaten by lower league teams in last seasons competition and didn't do either any harm.
So we better dominate the rest of the way then like those two teams did. I watched Derby yesterday take Man U very late into the game at Old Trafford and lose. You can still put in a decent showing even if the outcome is a defeat. They will take heart from that game and they rotated their line up. We won't take any confidence from this debacle. So I hope you're right and we kick off where left off vs Bristol City at Forest next week.
It happened after the Boro game.
I just don't get the feeling we were cup for it today and yes that is on the manager so he can be blamed for that.
Same as when Lambert came out with the cup isn't important and then Sheffield United turned us over.
Next few weeks will show whether we've gone into another tailspin.
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I'd like to get worked up but I seriously couldn't give a shit. I suspect Bruce got the result he was after.
I hate early round cup games against lower league sides.
Crap atmosphere
Poor performances usually
Over enthusiastic day trippers from No Mark FC
Whoppers sat around you where season ticket holders couldn't be arsed to turn up.
Unbalanced side. No holding player on the park. Lacklustre at best.
But still, meh.
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‘Yeh well people have been shoutin’ at me to give the kids a go so I have done today and you can see they’ve let everyone down.’
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For all the money spent, our squad isn't great and our manager doesn't seem to be able to get more out of them through charisma or ideas. We piss this competition away yet again.
These are attributes Bruce doesn't possess, at least not positive ones
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I know it's not the priority for the season. I know our chances of winning the competition was slim to none. I know it wasn't our first team.
BUT
I don't like losing. I don't like seeing our club humiliated. I don't like seeing positive momentum grind to a halt. For that reason I'm pissed off right now.
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Not good enough and a really poor follow up to Monday.
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Team put out was not good enough I'm afraid.
Club as a whole obviously not good enough in its present state to compete for this trophy, I'd say that's fairly obvious.
Whisper it quietly but it might not be the worst thing to happen to us. Newcastle and Brighton were both beaten by lower league teams in last seasons competition and didn't do either any harm.
So we better dominate the rest of the way then like those two teams did. I watched Derby yesterday take Man U very late into the game at Old Trafford and lose. You can still put in a decent showing even if the outcome is a defeat. They will take heart from that game and they rotated their line up. We won't take any confidence from this debacle. So I hope you're right and we kick off where left off vs Bristol City at Forest next week.
It happened after the Boro game.
I just don't get the feeling we were cup for it today and yes that is on the manager so he can be blamed for that.
Same as when Lambert came out with the cup isn't important and then Sheffield United turned us over.
Next few weeks will show whether we've gone into another tailspin.
Having just battered Bristol City it would have been nice to continue the feel good feeling and momentum of winning. Something we've only done now once in 7 games. Instead he set out with an unnecessarily conservative approach at home to a lower league team and we've been turned over. Steve Bruce is his own worst enemy.
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I'm glad we didn't equalise. Peterborough on a Tuesday Night, ergh fuck that.
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I'd like to get worked up but I seriously couldn't give a shit. I suspect Bruce got the result he was after.
I hate early round cup games against lower league sides.
Crap atmosphere
Poor performances usually
Over enthusiastic day trippers from No Mark FC
Whoppers sat around you where season ticket holders couldn't be arsed to turn up.
Unbalanced side. No holding player on the park. Lacklustre at best.
But still, meh.
Attendance 21k I see, imagine Posh took 3-4k so you're talking 17k Villa fans.
Reality is FA only gets exciting from 5th round onwards if you're not a lower league team.
I doubt anyone on here can even remember who we beat in the 3rd round the year we got to the final in 2015. I just had to check it now.
We've seen many times a half empty and flat VP transmits to the pitch. World of difference to Monday when everyone was up to it from the minute the fireworks started.
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This club needs to develop a culture of winning, so this result does matter in that context.
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Each to their own. Personally I prefer my team not to lose.
I'm glad we didn't equalise. Peterborough on a Tuesday Night, ergh fuck that.
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I'm glad we didn't equalise. Peterborough on a Tuesday Night, ergh fuck that.
so your glad we lost the very thing you and your mates go apeshit about when you accuse others of the same thing
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This club needs to develop a culture of winning, so this result does matter in that context.
1 win in 7 suggests we could have done with winning 2 in a row. I get it that the FA Cup isn't a priority but generating positive momentum absolutely is.
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I know it's not the priority for the season. I know our chances of winning the competition was slim to none. I know it wasn't our first team.
BUT
I don't like losing. I don't like seeing our club humiliated. I don't like seeing positive momentum grind to a halt. For that reason I'm pissed off right now.
It was more humilating when we were establish premier league and losing to Orient and nearly losing to Wycombe. Sadly we are where we are and no-one outside of Brum will blink at a championship team losing to a decent league one team. Stoke will get all the attention tonight.
I fully expect to win the next two games so yes I won't be happy if we don't and this impacts on it.
Not sure though, will Adomah need counseling if he was watching this today?
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I wouldn't disagree SHQ
Walking back now and nobody seems to be mumbling a out football. It is all what's for tea and where we going out.
I hurt when we lose and if this was walking back from the City Ground I'd be fuming. But I can barely muster a tut.
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I'm glad we didn't equalise. Peterborough on a Tuesday Night, ergh fuck that.
so your glad we lost the very thing you and your mates go apeshit about when you accuse others of the same thing
I'd rather we win. I wasn't looking forward to a replay but it never looked in danger.
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I wouldn't disagree SHQ
Walking back now and nobody seems to be mumbling a out football. It is all what's for tea and where we going out.
I hurt when we lose and if this was walking back from the City Ground I'd be fuming. But I can barely muster a tut.
that's because Bruce is sucking the life out of the club and driving it into the ground
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Having just battered Bristol City it would have been nice to continue the feel good feeling and momentum of winning. Something we've only done now once in 7 games. Instead he set out with an unnecessarily conservative approach at home to a lower league team and we've been turned over. Steve Bruce is his own worst enemy.
It's 2 wins in 8.
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I'm glad we didn't equalise. Peterborough on a Tuesday Night, ergh fuck that.
so your glad we lost the very thing you and your mates go apeshit about when you accuse others of the same thing
I'd rather we win. I wasn't looking forward to a replay but it never looked in danger.
The replay given how many games we have left in the league wasn't an attractive option. However not even being in that position to start with would have been a much better scenario.
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This club needs to develop a culture of winning, so this result does matter in that context.
1 win in 7 suggests we could have done with winning 2 in a row. I get it that the FA Cup isn't a priority but generating positive momentum absolutely is.
Two wins?
The mentality will be different this time next week I'm sure of it? We've seen a million times a club limps to a cup defeat and then miraculously plays completely different in the league.
We lost to Boro in the league cup with a really poor performance (I remember the reaction of that on here) and then we beat Burton, Forest and Bolton straight after.
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I know it's not the priority for the season. I know our chances of winning the competition was slim to none. I know it wasn't our first team.
BUT
I don't like losing. I don't like seeing our club humiliated. I don't like seeing positive momentum grind to a halt. For that reason I'm pissed off right now.
It was more humilating when we were establish premier league and losing to Orient and nearly losing to Wycombe. Sadly we are where we are and no-one outside of Brum will blink at a championship team losing to a decent league one team. Stoke will get all the attention tonight.
I fully expect to win the next two games so yes I won't be happy if we don't and this impacts on it.
Not sure though, will Adomah need counseling if he was watching this today?
Just because we've had worst results in the past doesn't make this better. Losing at home to a lower league team is never a good thing. The year Orient knocked us out staying in the PL was our priority so by your reasoning that defeat didn't matter yet you still remember it.
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Having just battered Bristol City it would have been nice to continue the feel good feeling and momentum of winning. Something we've only done now once in 7 games. Instead he set out with an unnecessarily conservative approach at home to a lower league team and we've been turned over. Steve Bruce is his own worst enemy.
It's 2 wins in 8.
Ah, that makes me feel much better. Thanks Mr Shin
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Must confess i'm a tad disappointed today that we (yes Aston villa) lost 3-1 at home to Peterborough. I won't say anymore for fear of being labelled an hysterical supporter. I suppose things like this happen and we must just accept them as part and parcel of football. No one is to blame apart from Peterborough who had the cheek to come and play us off the park. Steve I feel for you ,I really do. You changed things today and you got totally pissed allover by Grant McCann... You should give your wages to charity tonight Bruce.
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I wouldn't disagree SHQ
Walking back now and nobody seems to be mumbling a out football. It is all what's for tea and where we going out.
I hurt when we lose and if this was walking back from the City Ground I'd be fuming. But I can barely muster a tut.
that's because Bruce is sucking the life out of the club and driving it into the ground
Did you go today?
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I know it's not the priority for the season. I know our chances of winning the competition was slim to none. I know it wasn't our first team.
BUT
I don't like losing. I don't like seeing our club humiliated. I don't like seeing positive momentum grind to a halt. For that reason I'm pissed off right now.
It was more humilating when we were establish premier league and losing to Orient and nearly losing to Wycombe. Sadly we are where we are and no-one outside of Brum will blink at a championship team losing to a decent league one team. Stoke will get all the attention tonight.
I fully expect to win the next two games so yes I won't be happy if we don't and this impacts on it.
Not sure though, will Adomah need counseling if he was watching this today?
Just because we've had worst results in the past doesn't make this better. Losing at home to a lower league team is never a good thing. The year Orient knocked us out staying in the PL was our priority so by your reasoning that defeat didn't matter yet you still remember it.
Orient got relegated that season so it was a much worse defeat.
In any case the league cup is a much more realistic competition for a non premier league club to have a good run in as Bristol City have shown so in a funny way I was more disappointed after Boro as we'd won a few rounds in the league cup at least.
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I wouldn't disagree SHQ
Walking back now and nobody seems to be mumbling a out football. It is all what's for tea and where we going out.
I hurt when we lose and if this was walking back from the City Ground I'd be fuming. But I can barely muster a tut.
that's because Bruce is sucking the life out of the club and driving it into the ground
Did you go today?
my last match was Sunderland at home I won't be rushing back to see Bruceball any time soon
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This club needs to develop a culture of winning, so this result does matter in that context.
1 win in 7 suggests we could have done with winning 2 in a row. I get it that the FA Cup isn't a priority but generating positive momentum absolutely is.
That was my thinking too. We need to generate momentum going into the Forest game so pick your best side, get the job done at half time then bring key players off to be rested. Now he has to go about picking them up again. I’m sick to death of Bruce. If we have so much disdain for the cup why bother entering the competition??
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I said on the way down I wished we had a league game.
I suspect Bruce won't have minded going out and that appears to have transcended to the players.
Only Hourihane and Terry to play from that lot next week of those who started, and Jack.
4141 second half without any pace wide or a holding player was a total fudge.
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I can only assume Bruce intended to lose this one to get the cup out of the way with. Can’t understand why else he would 4-5-1 at home to Peterborough. Shameful.
Why play Bree out of position at CB with a returning from injury Terry?
Why finally give O’Hare a game out of position at right mid?
Also I don’t think he knows what to do with Bjarnason. DM first half then left wing second half?
No-one on the pitch was good enough today but Bruce set them out to fail.
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Oh well, we will have relearned some lessons, and some players who haven't have game time for a while, in a game that it would be nice to win, but its not essential.
So not great, but better in a cup game than a league game.
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Just think, we could have done things properly, not been comprehensibly beaten by a "no-mark club", gone out against superior opposition in the fourth round, and retained a shred of pride and credibility as we push for a play-off place. Alas.
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Genuinely couldn't care less. We're out of a cup we had no chance of winning. If we'd drawn a Premier League team we'd have been absolutely battered.
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Genuinely couldn't care less. We're out of a cup we had no chance of winning. If we'd drawn a Premier League team we'd have been absolutely battered.
We were absolutely battered.
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William will be able to go to the wedding now.
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Just think, we could have done things properly, not been comprehensibly beaten by a "no-mark club", gone out against superior opposition in the fourth round, and retained a shred of pride and credibility as we push for a play-off place. Alas.
That's just it for me. We didn't have go out at home to a lower league team. Would it have really affected us that much in the league to give it a go in the competition and if we get beaten in round 5, all of TWO games later, then so be it?
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I'm sure I will be in the minority but I would rather win the Cup than go up. Having said that, this manager and squad are always a step away from disaster or glory so today is no surprise.
Pressure on for the manger even more now though.
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I'm sure I will be in the minority but I would rather win the Cup than go up. Having said that, this manager and squad are always a step away from disaster or glory so today is no surprise.
Pressure on for the manger even more now though.
So would I but in the real world hardly an eyelid will be blinked, either by ourselves or anyone else.
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So Peterborough wanted to stay in the FA Cup more than we did ? Fuckin explain that one to me.
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Exactly they’re in the promotion race same as we are.
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For me, the Randy Lerner influence is still hanging over us.
We've been so dumbed down with our expectations, getting battered at home by a League one team isn't something to be worried about.
A first XI game, at home. If we see it as THAT much of a distraction, that we can't win it anyway, and we don't care if we lose, then let's not enter it next year. Stop wasting everyone's time.
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We're coming up with those 'I don't care, it's not so bad' excuses for being shit again. Reminds me of that 'oh well, at least we'll win a few games in the Championship' bollocks of a couple of years ago. Proper football clubs don't accept losing a tackle, let alone a game of football against lower league opposition.
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Genuinely couldn't care less. We're out of a cup we had no chance of winning. If we'd drawn a Premier League team we'd have been absolutely battered.
We were absolutely battered.
Not sure that’s quite right. Peterborough played very well and were certainly up for it but their keeper made a fair few saves, O’Hare missed a one on one at 1-0 and Bjarnesson managed to hit the underside of the bar from a couple of yards at 1-1.
We did look one paced and unbalanced for long periods so in the end we pretty much got what we deserved but I thought O’Hare once again showed promise even though he was stuck out wide and Davis did ok. terry will be glad to get that game under his belt before Forest. Green looked understandably very rusty, so hope him just having 45 mins was the plan.
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Everything was said before the game the team and the club downsized for the gane age we got what we deserved
First half in patches average to good, second half C -
Can forgive Bruce over this one providing we get promoted. One thing hing for sure though our back up players are not ready/good enough right now
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It's not just us though.
Cardiff only drew 0-0 at home to Mansfield today who are a division lower than Posh. Imagine Warnock mixed the team up and gave fringe players a run out.
I'll point out again. Last season Newcastle went to Oxford in the 4th round and got smashed 3-0. Brighton the same day went to non league Lincoln and were turned over 3-1.
Both were much more comfortable in the top 2 but decided the cup wasn't a priority whether the rights and wrongs of it.
Don't get me wrong I'd rather not have gone out but it's more this view we're the only team who any of this stuff every seems to happen when I've just named three similar examples from last 12 months.
And also instantly sack the manager when we've suddenly hit some form in the league.
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We're coming up with those 'I don't care, it's not so bad' excuses for being shit again. Reminds me of that 'oh well, at least we'll win a few games in the Championship' bollocks of a couple of years ago. Proper football clubs don't accept losing a tackle, let alone a game of football against lower league opposition.
Man. United didn't seem that bothered losing to Bristol and that was a competition they were defending!
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Well that went well. ::)
#anothercrisis@villapark
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I think from SB's point of view he'd have thought starting John Terry again would've rubbed off on the rest of the team and been enough given his record in this competition and his overall mentality.
The problem of course though is he and Andre Green haven't played in months. I imagine he looked rusty today and struggled a bit second half which might explain why we collapsed so badly.
I'd have started Elphick today. He's in good form and in any case has barely played this season. Bree as a centre half is total nonsense.
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The obvious and sensible thing would have been to play Elphick with Terry.
I am reading Fire and Fury, I get the impression that Bruce’s decision making is close to the Trump Whitehouse.
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Being cynical I thought Elphick didn't play because we didn't want to cup-tie a player who may be leaving.
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I think from SB's point of view he'd have thought starting John Terry again would've rubbed off on the rest of the team and been enough given his record in this competition and his overall mentality.
The problem of course though is he and Andre Green haven't played in months. I imagine he looked rusty today and struggled a bit second half which might explain why we collapsed so badly.
I'd have started Elphick today. He's in good form and in any case has barely played this season. Bree as a centre half is total nonsense.
My guess over elphick not starting is that he will be offski shortly
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Being cynical I thought Elphick didn't play because we didn't want to cup-tie a player who may be leaving.
Which is a daft idea.
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Only just got back and am trying to thaw out.
As shite as it was, I’m not going to beat us up too much.
We have put out a team of players who are pretty much strangers to each other with many of them who have had little or no match time all season and then coupled this with a number who are returning from injury. There was no cohesion, no understanding and no ability to take control of the game.
Fair play to Peterborough, they were by far the better team and took advantage of our team selection.
In the big scheme of things it is not the end of the world, and we just might be glad to see some of these squad players as the season gets to the crucial stage.
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Being cynical I thought Elphick didn't play because we didn't want to cup-tie a player who may be leaving.
Which is a daft idea.
If it was true I would agree.
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William will be able to go to the wedding now.
Yes, lets chalk this one down to a Royal decree.
Meanwhile how long is it since I walked (floated) out of Wembley on Gerard's birthday?
Whilst the great fall was apparent come May, we're still feeling the bump aren't we...
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Best hope we win at Forest next week , then.
Peterborough deserved their win . Good luck to them .
Thought Steer did well , thought the rest were meh - apart from Onomah , who I think is useless.
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Well if loosing at home to Peterborough is acceptable then it's time to pack up and prepare for years in the wilderness.
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Another embarrassing cup exit. Think Bruce got that completely wrong from the off with the number of changes he made. We were lucky to get to half time with them still on nil, and maybe if he'd made more changes for the second half then things may have been different. And if Bjork had hit the net instead of the bar at 1-1 it would have been different, but their goals had been coming for a long time and they deserved their win against a disjointed and lacklustre Villa. Also - isn't it weird how quickly you can break from defending a set piece if you leave players up the pitch...? Other than the embarrassment of going out to a lower league team I can't get really worked up about it, even though it's now 60 years and counting, but given that Bruce put out a second string team and only 17,000 Villa fans turned up even at a tenner a ticket it looks like I'm not alone.
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Usual story with Bruce. One step forward, one back. To get battered as badly as we did at home to a League 1 team is very poor.
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Felt sorry for Bjarnason today. He had a very good first-half mopping up in front of a crap back four; first time he's had a chance to play there. He then gets moved to the left side at the start of the second-half to replace Green and then sacrificed instead of Hourihane and Onomah who both had atrocious games. If I were him I'd look for a move at the end of the season.
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Poor game, poor performance, poor team selection, clueless.
After today Onomah (who was useless) should never get a game again ahead of Grealish.
Taylor at left back was awful and was out of his depth. Accepting that we have the Scottish Cafu, we definitely need another left back in the transfer window. Steer did well, as did O Hare (what was that substitution about?)
Never mind, at least weve discovered Bruce has "hindsight" it's just a pity he's never displayed much foresight.
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My 6 year old doesn't really understand the nuances of squad rotation and the importance of league vs cup games. "Why can't our players get the ball Dad?" Quite. Whilst nowhere near as important as the league another totally gutless effort by Aston Villa. Its not the defeat its the manner of it and today we bent over and took it without complaint.
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Just thawed out. That's the worst performance I can remember for a long long time. Bruce setting up 4-5-1 at home to Peterborough was just ridiculous.
Steer - Some excellent saves but Bosnich must be his kicking coach
De Laet - Only player that can hold his head up
Bree - Played out of position along side Terry recovering from injury.
Terry - Solid but lacking match sharpness as expected.
Taylor - Woeful, second worst player on the pitch
O'Hare - worked hard but played out of position by Bruce at right midfield.
Hourihane - solid but ineffective
Bjarnason - struggled being played out of position at DM
Onomah - Atrocious performance, not sure what was wrong with him but holy s**t that was bad.
Green - Lacking match fitness as expected but also lacking pace
Davis - Did well but very isolated, needs a strike partner.
Bruce finally played 2 up front in the 80th minute, but only after they had equalized, then switched Bjarnason from DM to left wing?!
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We were especially poor without the ball and there was not enough tracking back. Onomah looked disinterested much of the time and we failed to stop their play maker Forrester from dictating the play and they got down the flanks too easily. I do think that 10 starting changes is too many especially after building up some momentum. Steer did well, which speaks volumes in itself, but nobody else impressed me.
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Has Bruce uttered any words of post-shambles wisdom yet?
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His post-match interview.
https://www.facebook.com/avfcofficial/videos/1794260880617973
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Oh dear. Well I guess the question "so how good is our squad depth?" has been answered.
Not that I am really fussed about going out now but still, these embrassing losses tend to be a signal of greater problems coming down the road, or at least they have in the past.
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Has Bruce uttered any words of post-shambles wisdom yet?
Yes, on WM he said that hindsight is a wonderful thing and that he made too many changes and that some players were pressing high as instructed and others weren't and that letting them have 20 attempts was not great.
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On balance have to go with Bruce for throwing the game. We're not gonna win it and we haven't the squad to cope with any more injuries or tiredness from too many matches. Never nice to lose to a lower league team but it wasn't a villa side in all but name. Kids, reserves, and players coming back from injury are always going to struggle against a side that play together regulary. Obviously if we don't win our league games then Bruce will have this thrown in his face, but end of the day the priority is promotion, and he's gone if we don't go up so i don't blame him. Whether he can get us up is another argument obviously.
Still i feel sorry for the fans who put the time, money and effort into supporting such a compromised Villa side today. Not nice but that's football in 2018.
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His post-match interview.
https://www.facebook.com/avfcofficial/videos/1794260880617973
Didnt really see much wrong with most of what he said there to be fair. Didnt give himself the out of now focusing on the league, wasnt happy with the performance and very pissed off at the lack of pressing.
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Back home - Great Cup Tie
Except for the Dire Result.
Bruce Out Surely Nigh.
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Disgrace and any one who thinks otherwise, or gives any kind of excuse, Shane on you. The lads v Bristol City who gave it the big fickle Villa fans, where are you (Delia style) tonight. I am embarrassed & fed up with this manager
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We're coming up with those 'I don't care, it's not so bad' excuses for being shit again. Reminds me of that 'oh well, at least we'll win a few games in the Championship' bollocks of a couple of years ago. Proper football clubs don't accept losing a tackle, let alone a game of football against lower league opposition.
Spot on Jimbo. As the years go by we drift more and more into obscurity
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Bruce was right about the magic of the cup
we vanished just like that
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The obvious and sensible thing would have been to play Elphick with Terry.
I am reading Fire and Fury, I get the impression that Bruce’s decision making is close to the Trump Whitehouse.
this
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I don’t get these assumptions that he’s not long for the job. There’s no way he’s going anytime soon. If we don’t go up that’ll be the time.
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His post-match interview.
https://www.facebook.com/avfcofficial/videos/1794260880617973
Thanks very much, Pete.
It sounds like Bruce's assessment of the game was very honest - given the poor performance and Posh's superiority. I hope he does learn those harsh lessons regarding today's debacle; and makes it clear to those who failed to take their opportunities that this club demands better. It's also refreshing to hear his disappointment & simmering ire being directed at those he selected today: rather than having a pop at the fans or the club hierarchy. He'd better put this behind him by overseeing a good performance at Forest, mind...
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Loads of big clubs play weakened sides and lose. It's not a priority, end of story. If it is, then fine lets play the first team and try to win it, but don't moan if we don't go up or win the cup.
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Bruce was right about the magic of the cup
we vanished just like that
Wahay! :)
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Disgrace and any one who thinks otherwise, or gives any kind of excuse, Shane on you. The lads v Bristol City who gave it the big fickle Villa fans, where are you (Delia style) tonight. I am embarrassed & fed up with this manager
Shane on me then, obviously.
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Just thawed out. That's the worst performance I can remember for a long long time. Bruce setting up 4-5-1 at home to Peterborough was just ridiculous.
brentford wasnt that long ago
nor Millwall
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Shane Magowan would’ve done better.
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His post-match interview.
https://www.facebook.com/avfcofficial/videos/1794260880617973
Didnt really see much wrong with most of what he said there to be fair. Didnt give himself the out of now focusing on the league, wasnt happy with the performance and very pissed off at the lack of pressing.
So leading 1-0 at HT he remedied those problems ?
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What a shambles.
First off: Peterborough played well and created enough chances to have won that game comfortably. Hats off to them and to their fans.
However, we lacked dynamism, energy, guile, commitment and pride.
I hope I will never see Onomah, Bjarnisson and Taylor in a Villa shirt again. I probably will, sad to say.
Of those who played, here’s my stark assessment.
Steer: good game and played well. But his distribution – jeeezus.
De Laet: played really well until he ran out of juice around the 70 minute mark.
Bree: looked okay to me.
Terry: rusty.
Taylor: awful - positioning and movement were terrible.
Hourihane: what does he actually do? – I really do not think h’s very good at all.
Onomah: gives the ball away at almost every opportunity. He utilises a shirt that someone else could be occupying.
Green: rusty
Bjanrisson: a total waste of time – even had an open goal that he managed somehow to miss.
Davis: greedy – someone needs to tell him how to lead the line.
O’Hare: really good! He and De Laet were my picks of the team.
You know I’m now going to do this …
… if Bruce doesn’t do coaching or tactics or nutrition – because he is, by his own admission, a motivator – who should carry the can for a team lacking dynamism, energy, guile, commitment and pride? And, if a team beats a promo rival by five goals by playing the ball on the ground why would a manager allow his players to play hoof-ball in the next competitive game?
The players should take a large part of the responsibility for this result, but - jeeez - this manager really grinds my gears!
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His post-match interview.
https://www.facebook.com/avfcofficial/videos/1794260880617973
Didnt really see much wrong with most of what he said there to be fair. Didnt give himself the out of now focusing on the league, wasnt happy with the performance and very pissed off at the lack of pressing.
So leading 1-0 at HT he remedied those problems ?
His answer was to sub Green on 45 to shore up the win then he made two subs 5 mins after their first goal to try and win it from there.
I didnt watch the game mind so maybe these timings were accidental? Shrug. I dunno. He said if he could he would have made 8 subs during the game and in hindsight he got it wrong.
I am no Bruce apologist but really his comments today seem sane enough to me.
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What a shambles.
First off: Peterborough played well and created enough chances to have won that game comfortably. Hats off to them and to their fans.
However, we lacked dynamism, energy, guile, commitment and pride.
I hope I will never see Onomah, Bjarnisson and Taylor in a Villa shirt again. I probably will, sad to say.
Of those who played, here’s my stark assessment.
Steer: good game and played well. But his distribution – jeeezus.
De Laet: played really well until he ran out of juice around the 70 minute mark.
Bree: looked okay to me.
Terry: rusty.
Taylor: awful - positioning and movement were terrible.
Hourihane: what does he actually do? – I really do not think h’s very good at all.
Onomah: gives the ball away at almost every opportunity. He utilises a shirt that someone else could be occupying.
Green: rusty
Bjanrisson: a total waste of time – even had an open goal that he managed somehow to miss.
Davis: greedy – someone needs to tell him how to lead the line.
O’Hare: really good! He and De Laet were my picks of the team.
You know I’m now going to do this …
… if Bruce doesn’t do coaching or tactics or nutrition – because he is, by his own admission, a motivator – who should carry the can for a team lacking dynamism, energy, guile, commitment and pride? And, if a team beats a promo rival by five goals by playing the ball on the ground why would a manager allow his players to play hoof-ball in the next competitive game?
The players should take a large part of the responsibility for this result, but - jeeez - this manager really grinds my gears!
i read it the first time mate - I understand you are pissed off ..i feel for you watching that today
I rate De Laet and onomah would never get in spurs team even not on the bench
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The obvious and sensible thing would have been to play Elphick with Terry.
I am reading Fire and Fury, I get the impression that Bruce’s decision making is close to the Trump Whitehouse.
this
Particularly as Elphick has played well in the last 2 games and with Terry back,he has the choice of him or Terry v Forest.
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Disgrace and any one who thinks otherwise, or gives any kind of excuse, Shane on you. The lads v Bristol City who gave it the big fickle Villa fans, where are you (Delia style) tonight. I am embarrassed & fed up with this manager
Shane on me then, obviously.
Sorry? Oh I put a wrong word in, dear me! Yes SHAME in capitals to anyone who thinks this is acceptable it’s not, even you Mr Woodhall
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Disgrace and any one who thinks otherwise, or gives any kind of excuse, Shane on you. The lads v Bristol City who gave it the big fickle Villa fans, where are you (Delia style) tonight. I am embarrassed & fed up with this manager
Shane on me then, obviously.
Sorry? Oh I put a wrong word in, dear me! Yes SHAME in capitals to anyone who thinks this is acceptable it’s not, even you Mr Woodhall
So shame on me. As I am just going to carry on supporting my club and occasionally grousing about the manager or players when they do badly. I am curious though, how does one go about not accepting this? Do we get a replay if enough of us think its a "disgrace"?
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Should've played the same team as Monday with the exception of the injured Hogan. There's no midweek game next week, so why not? No way would we have lost today.....
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I’m tired of getting really,really angry when we lose games like this. It’s just not worth the rage.
I’m pissed off we lost, I’m pissed off with the performance, but (for me for once) Im going to focus on the big picture.
We wasn’t going to win the cup, but there is a prize that we still have a massive chance of winning, and I have to have faith that we will do it.
Come back to me when we lose a league game to a shitty team though and no doubt (my) normal service will be resumed.
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Disgrace and any one who thinks otherwise, or gives any kind of excuse, Shane on you. The lads v Bristol City who gave it the big fickle Villa fans, where are you (Delia style) tonight. I am embarrassed & fed up with this manager
Shane on me then, obviously.
Sorry? Oh I put a wrong word in, dear me! Yes SHAME in capitals to anyone who thinks this is acceptable it’s not, even you Mr Woodhall
So shame on me. As I am just going to carry on supporting my club and occasionally grousing about the manager or players when they do badly. I am curious though, how does one go about not accepting this? Do we get a replay if enough of us think its a "disgrace"?
Oh dear me, no it’s fine your right, let’s not be angry, embarrassed or upset, it’s ok, it’s all ok
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Oh dear me, no it’s fine your right, let’s not be angry, embarrassed or upset, it’s ok, it’s all ok
Oh I am upset and embrassed. Just not angry, I would have been angry if we had lost a league game. Anyway. I get you are pissed off. I dont blame you. I just suggest having a pop at fellow fans for not being as angry at you just isnt going to get you many good responses on a fan board.
edit: damn internet is hard. Anyway if we were talking in person assume as I said the above I would have been buying you a beer to try and make the crappy defeat a little easier for us all to bear. UTV , lets see how we do next game!
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It's hard to worry too much about today,I think Bruce did the right thing for the long term. Playing Bree other than a centre half was strange,was good to see some injured players get a game,will have done them good. Bring on Forest!
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Oh dear me, no it’s fine your right, let’s not be angry, embarrassed or upset, it’s ok, it’s all ok
Oh I am upset and embrassed. Just not angry, I would have been angry if we had lost a league game. Anyway. I get you are pissed off. I dont blame you. I just suggest having a pop at fellow fans for not being as angry at you just isnt going to get you many good responses on a fan board.
Well I’m not after good responses, just my opinion, sorry if upsets anyone, friends👍👍
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It’s just unnecessary and unacceptable. He appeared to put no tactical thought into this.
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Oh dear me, no it’s fine your right, let’s not be angry, embarrassed or upset, it’s ok, it’s all ok
Oh I am upset and embrassed. Just not angry, I would have been angry if we had lost a league game. Anyway. I get you are pissed off. I dont blame you. I just suggest having a pop at fellow fans for not being as angry at you just isnt going to get you many good responses on a fan board.
Well I’m not after good responses, just my opinion, sorry if upsets anyone, friends👍👍
Ahhh friends !
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William will be able to go to the wedding now.
The fix was in.
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It’s just unnecessary and unacceptable. He appeared to put no tactical thought into this.
“ I dont do tactics”
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(http://footballfriends.org.uk/data/uploads/football-friend1.jpg)
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Ha ha :) :)
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It’s just unnecessary and unacceptable. He appeared to put no tactical thought into this.
Mark Hughes has been sacked - can Mr no tactics Bruce please be his replacement!
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At the risk of further shame, what I talked about with some Peterborough supporters in the Wellington post-match sums up my feelings.
I'd rather win the FA Cup than any other trophy but I accept that my views are becoming less popular by the year. Any half-decent Premier League team would beat us in round four so their's really no point in getting overly upset. They had their first team out, we had probably two of ours. Much as it goes against everything I love about football, John Terry getting 90 minutes unscathed was probably more important than winning. Then we shook hands and I wished them a safe journey home. The number nine (a stout of some sort) was very nice.
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i read it the first time mate - I understand you are pissed off ..i feel for you watching that today
I rate De Laet and onomah would never get in spurs team even not on the bench
I appreciate your empathy, JP :)
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Just got back and to be honest the better team won.
Thought O'Hare looked good in the first half. Our passing is (and has been for so long) crap.
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At the risk of further shame, what I talked about with some Peterborough supporters in the Wellington post-match sums up my feelings.
I'd rather win the FA Cup than any other trophy but I accept that my views are becoming less popular by the year. Any half-decent Premier League team would beat us in round four so their's really no point in getting overly upset. They had their first team out, we had probably two of ours. Much as it goes against everything I love about football, John Terry getting 90 minutes unscathed was probably more important than winning. Then we shook hands and I wished them a safe journey home. The number nine (a stout of some sort) was very nice.
I'm glad you posted this, Dave, because the point you're making about the 4th round and finding the benefits of today (Terry getting 90 minutes) is a good way of post-rationalising what we watched.
My 'take' is that the game gave a further insight into how the manager works; and, it wasn't very pretty. He put out a team that seemed to lack dynamism, energy, guile, commitment and pride; regardless of the result. We were beaten by a better team today but only two or three of our players really seemed to be at the races.
Furthermore, a good cup run often has positive effects on league form (whereas an embarrassing defeat might knock the confidence). And, wouldn't it be a great day out for us to play a Prem side?
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At the risk of further shame, what I talked about with some Peterborough supporters in the Wellington post-match sums up my feelings.
I'd rather win the FA Cup than any other trophy but I accept that my views are becoming less popular by the year. Any half-decent Premier League team would beat us in round four so their's really no point in getting overly upset. They had their first team out, we had probably two of ours. Much as it goes against everything I love about football, John Terry getting 90 minutes unscathed was probably more important than winning. Then we shook hands and I wished them a safe journey home. The number nine (a stout of some sort) was very nice.
I'm in complete agreement with you there Dave. I think your recognition of what our hearts desire verses the reality of the situation probably sums up the thoughts of a large percentage of football supporters. I'm glad you managed to have a good natter with some Posh supporters after your afternoon; and it's great to see The Welly is still providing first class refreshment for the discerning punter. ;)
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My annoyance at our exit isn’t just about the exit. It’s the fact that the manager really probably saw the competition as an impediment to the primary objective of promotion. And my annoyance isn’t that he sees promotion as a priority. Of course I want that too. It’s that trying to go an extra game, maybe even another 2 is considered just too much to what is the arguably the deepest squad in the Championship.
Would it really have damaged our primary objective if our season consisted of a remaining 22 games versus 20?
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That would depend on whether our injury record this season was to continue or halt.
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After we got the first goal, we didnt seem too bothered about scoring a second until they equalised. Shocking performance.
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The number nine was very nice.
That's because it goes to Halesowen.
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deep squad my arse. We have lots of footballers on our books - sadly only a tiny fraction of them can actually play.
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My annoyance at our exit isn’t just about the exit. It’s the fact that the manager really probably saw the competition as an impediment to the primary objective of promotion. And my annoyance isn’t that he sees promotion as a priority. Of course I want that too. It’s that trying to go an extra game, maybe even another 2 is considered just too much to what is the arguably the deepest squad in the Championship.
Would it really have damaged our primary objective if our season consisted of a remaining 22 games versus 20?
depends what you mean "deep". looking at the players selected today 4 of them had less than 22 appearances between them and that's not including green and davis. Personally i think it's barely deep enough to cover a few injuries without it affecting us
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Had a think.....and losing to Arsenal in 2015 still feels a million times worse than today which I'll have forgotten about by probably tomorrow evening.
Reason is we're a million miles away from the final whereas we were in the final there and totally stank the place out.
I can cope with going out in the third round no problem but to not even bother giving Arsenal a game was unforgivable especially knowing it would be a while before we made another one and we obviously won't be there for a while yet while the club is fixed.
The whole club then collapsed straight afterwards. Don't see the same happening now.
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My annoyance at our exit isn’t just about the exit. It’s the fact that the manager really probably saw the competition as an impediment to the primary objective of promotion. And my annoyance isn’t that he sees promotion as a priority. Of course I want that too. It’s that trying to go an extra game, maybe even another 2 is considered just too much to what is the arguably the deepest squad in the Championship.
Would it really have damaged our primary objective if our season consisted of a remaining 22 games versus 20?
I'd have liked us to win a few rounds aswell but third round, 5th round, it still gets you no cups.
When did people really started getting interested in 2015? Probably on the morning of the Albion quarter final. I had to check who we played in round 3 and 4 as I'd totally forgotten, only remembered Leicester in the 5th round as we announced Sherwood just before we played
that one.
To try to defend SB, he'd say we win this round and then the next one and then Sheffield gets moved (as it has anyway) and then Fulham gets moved etc so suddenly we have midweeks clogged up for rest of the season while Derby will have their feet up.
I agree with our size of squad it shouldn't hurt us as much as this month will hurt Bristol City but I would guess that's his POV whether you agree with it or not.
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Most worrying for me is Davis and Onomah, 2 of the regular players likely to start on Saturday were awful.
I’d send Onomah back to Spurs.
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I get the pragmatic response to today’s defeat, but to lose 3-1 at home to Peterborough?
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I can’t believe this. FFS Peterborough???
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pragmatism is fine if we beat Forest next Saturday. That’s certainly not a given but, It’s something that we would have more chance of achieving had we started the game with some momentum.
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My concern with games like this isn't losing, as many have said, we weren't likely to be competitive later so we're not missing a big chance, it's the nature of the defeat. By all accounts we were disjointed and looked like the players didn't know each other, just the same as we were at the start of the season, and at various other points when we've had to make a few changes. I think something is wrong in training if a squad that has been together for 4 months looks so cobbled together. What it means is that the depth of the squad is meaningless because the only way we're building any familiarity in the squad is during matches. When you look at how difficult players have found it to settle in it just backs up the idea that we're not working on tactics or a 'style' in training.
I've said before that I'm not really sure what it is that Bruce does and everytime we have performances like today it just brings me back to it, he's not got the team running through walls, he rarely uses his bench to have a positive effect, he doesn't do anything to change the game tactically if his 'plan' isn't working. I just don't see the value he adds.
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Steer - top class saves, can only think this kicking goal kicks out wide is what masquerades as a tactic in Bruceworld! Should have been booked for constant time wasting
De Laet - did fine
Bree - so Elphick, De Laet & Suliman have all played centre back...we choose the right back to play there, bizarre
Terry - very rusty first half, grew into it
Taylor - did the guy have loafers on, couldn’t keep his feet and couldn’t pass water, firmly behind Hutton for left back for me. Poor, poor, poor
Green - started lively enough, spent next half hour doing step over, lose ball - if he’s still playing like that in 6 weeks after getting minutes we’ve got a problem
O’Hare - another to have a bright start then disappeared, probs unlucky to get the hook though
Hourihane - always offered, lots of inaccurate passing and far too much safety first backwards play
Onomah - did he have somewhere better to be because he was awful, ran Taylor close in the ‘give him a carrot’ stakes
Bjarnasson - was fine first half but he is no winger
Davis - ok he scored and held up a bit of decent ball but unless they get him from playing on his heels he won’t make it at highest level
Subs
Lansbury - some nice passes
Grealish - not overly involved, should have started
RHM - again not overly involved
Why do we insist in playing square pegs in round holes? What’s the tactic of goalkicks out wide from goalkeepers who can’t kick straight? Any chance that when we have a set piece that someone may get go deep as 80% of balls wings over everyone? Any chance the brains trust in the touch line actually react to what they are watching? 11 men back for defending corners and free kicks is cowardly
This is the FA Cup ffs, one of the worst things about modern football is the shitty attitude that bang average coaches show to the Cup.
Rant over!
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I would accept winning the FA cup as equal to winning promotion to the Premiership. If we had a great team and a great manager who could win automatic promotion then achieve PL security a better case could be made for focussing exclusively on that prospect. But we do not have a great team and we do not have a great manager. To win the cup you have to win 7 games. If we make the play offs that is effectively 3 cup ties. Between now and the play offs there will be at least half a dozen must win games that will be as important and hard to win as cup ties. Taking into account the luck of the draw and possible frequent home advantage of the cup, the winning of the cup and the winning of promotion for the current Villa side with the current Villa manager are equally unlikely.
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I would accept winning the FA cup as equal to winning promotion to the Premiership. If we had a great team and a great manager who could win automatic promotion then achieve PL security a better case could be made for focussing exclusively on that prospect. But we do not have a great team and we do not have a great manager. To win the cup you have to win 7 games. If we make the play offs that is effectively 3 cup ties. Between now and the play offs there will be at least half a dozen must win games that will be as important and hard to win as cup ties. Taking into account the luck of the draw and possible frequent home advantage of the cup, the winning of the cup and the winning of promotion for the current Villa side with the current Villa manager are equally unlikely.
So you think Bruce should be sacked now?
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Bruce is a shit manager. Summary over.
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Taylor - did the guy have loafers on, couldn’t keep his feet and couldn’t pass water, firmly behind Hutton for left back for me. Poor, poor, poor
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Gareth I said this when he slipped 2nd time - what studs was he wearing. Jeeps this is basics. Pitch is a bit worn and patchy.
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My 6 year old doesn't really understand the nuances of squad rotation and the importance of league vs cup games. "Why can't our players get the ball Dad?”
Sounds pretty clued up for a six-year-old to me. Mine just cheers when we score and eats his sandwiches.
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I still can't understand why Elphick was not centre half and personally would have had Whelan in the middle. As fort the FA Cup, I have seen my team win the third Division, get promoted twice to the top division, win the league cup 3 times, win the league and the european cup. I want to see us win the FA Cup before I depart, does annoy me that the players chosen today did not compete. I am worried Bruce is totally ruining Bree, don't play him for ages and when he does he plays him centre back. Not sure that was good management tbh
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Losing this game is unacceptable yet apologists feel the need to excuse it. If our players had any degree of professional pride they’d put a shift in whether they played Peterborough in the cup or Derby in the playoff final. It’s their job to commit fully to the club not put the handbrake on because they don’t fancy it.
Perhaps next year fans can just pay what they fancy at the gate rather than full price, if the club don’t want to offer 100% why should we?
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Losing this game is unacceptable yet apologists feel the need to excuse it. If our players had any degree of professional pride they’d put a shift in whether they played Peterborough in the cup or Derby in the playoff final. It’s their job to commit fully to the club not put the handbrake on because they don’t fancy it.
Perhaps next year fans can just pay what they fancy at the gate rather than full price, if the club don’t want to offer 100% why should we?
I'm with you on this. I committed myself to go today to see my team compete against a decent League 1 side and I saw anything but.
That was a complete joke.
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Star Wars was good. As was that pint of Moretti we just had. I can read this site and not be bothered, while normally post defeat I am quite the grumpy goose.
It's just not relevant to a 2nd division team and deep down you know it. Magic of the cup? Where's the magic in a literal half full Villa Park?
Dave's right. Our captain got 90 minutes and got out unscathed. The performance was rank and there's a number of reason why, but I lack the interest to care. At home to.lower league opposition in the early rounds, the Cup is shite. Give me a win over Forest all today everyday. I know they don't have to be mutually exclusive, but it demonstrates a point.
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Stupid team selection. Stunting any momentum. Crap ball retention, really poor defending. Onomah can fuck off back to ponce Hotspur.
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Onomah seems to think e is better than us, let him go back if that is the case. Newby, tell me what the stupid team selection was for you?
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Losing this game is unacceptable yet apologists feel the need to excuse it. If our players had any degree of professional pride they’d put a shift in whether they played Peterborough in the cup or Derby in the playoff final. It’s their job to commit fully to the club not put the handbrake on because they don’t fancy it.
Perhaps next year fans can just pay what they fancy at the gate rather than full price, if the club don’t want to offer 100% why should we?
I didn't want to go today, but my brother who has not been to a game this season because of work commitments wanted to attend and would not be convinced otherwise. I told him: ffs, Bruce is not interested, he will fuck it up; the wind is changing to a North Easterly and we will get our knackers frozen off; the ground will be half empty. All to no avail.
To mitigate against the impending disaster, I placed a very large bet on us to lose. When I saw the team selected I doubled it, and when I saw that Bree was playing as a central defender I effectively trebled the original bet.
I have no problem at all with Bruce making wholesale changes, and I could not give a rat's ass about the FA Cup any more, but I expect to see some cohesion and team spirit. To those that say this result is proof of a lack of squad depth, I would argue that that the U23 team would have won the game.
Fair play to Peterborough; they were the better side by far.
I bet my brother will get a bad dose of influenza. That will learn him.
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Star Wars was good. As was that pint of Moretti we just had. I can read this site and not be bothered, while normally post defeat I am quite the grumpy goose.
It's just not relevant to a 2nd division team and deep down you know it. Magic of the cup? Where's the magic in a literal half full Villa Park?
Dave's right. Our captain got 90 minutes and got out unscathed. The performance was rank and there's a number of reason why, but I lack the interest to care. At home to.lower league opposition in the early rounds, the Cup is shite. Give me a win over Forest all today everyday. I know they don't have to be mutually exclusive, but it demonstrates a point.
So the fans that attended today were wasting their time then?
I've got to say that the thought that John Terry got through unscathed didn't really enter my head while we were being fucked over by a league one side.
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Yes we were wasting our time. In reality it's saved me some money and some time. We weren't going to win the cup so why play a rigged game?* pride? Pft.
*it's a can of worms about the Premier League there.
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Until today I’d never been selective in my support for the team as I’ve turned up on countless occasions entering this very same scenario. But no more.
The sad reality is that we’ll be doing like Mark Hughes and resting players against the big 6 if we ever get back to the Premier League. Just so we can save ourselves for the big relegation clash the following week.
After 26 season ticket years this manager is beginning to test my loyalty in having one.
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Until today I’d never been selective in my support for the team as I’ve turned up on countless occasions entering this very same scenario. But no more.
The sad reality is that we’ll be doing like Mark Hughes and resting players against the big 6 if we ever get back to the Premier League. Just so we can save ourselves for the big relegation clash the following week.
After 26 season ticket years this manager is beginning to test my loyalty in having one.
Oh please! We’ve just put up with one of the worst periods In our entire history ending in relegation to the Championship and only now do you think your loyalty should be tested? We’re actually on our way back, not on our way down! Where have you been since 2010??
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To be honest I couldn’t give a shite about today. It’s all about promotion this season, and all other competitions are a distraction. We have to go up this year, nothing else matters.
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Always gutted when we lose no matter what but on the bright side my non refundable hotel and time off work I’ve booked for Fulham away is now all good. A weekend away in smoke with the Mrs at the best away day is now ON.
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To be honest I couldn’t give a shite about today. It’s all about promotion this season, and all other competitions are a distraction. We have to go up this year, nothing else matters.
That was the case last season and previous 5 seasons it was all about avoiding relegation and previous to that it was about champions league qualification ...and and and. Sorry but this has to stop. We need to play to win every game we compete in. Full stop.
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I do not understand some people's attitude in accepting quite easily what happened. Perhaps I am old fashioned and certainly from a different era but I grew up with the game of teams wanting to compete and win every game. There were probably 17,000 or 18,000 Villa fans that paid good money to attend. To then have the Club turn round to those fans and say we can't be bothered about this game is shocking. Also, for fans that accept this, IMO, shows a lack of respect for the fans that went down to see a competitive match. Perhaps some fans have enough money to be able to go to the match and not be bothered about getting a performance from the team. I wonder what the response from the Club would be come the next cup game and no one bothered to turn up.
I do not understand how managers expect to get a performance from the team by making so many changes. Changing, say, 5 players gives you some continuity. The team put out was something equivalent to pulling 11 guys from the pub together who had never met before and asking them to play as an effective team. Perhaps this is one of my biggest issues with Bruce in that he just expects 11 individuals to go on the pitch and perform. There just doesn't seem to be any recognisable plan.
We have a large squad but it is poorly balanced to the point that when we get to games like this, we end up playing players out of position. Even so, we should be able to cope with additional games that a cup run brings. I grew up with great cup wins against the odds that defined me as a Villa fan. Remembering the likes of Southampton in the FA Cup, Man Utd in the LC and Arsenal again in the FA Cup, makes it hard to accept the modern attitude to just throw games.
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Agree. Either play to win or don't play at all. Strategic team weakening gets you nowhere in the long run. It is the negativity of not losing at all costs in a different suit of clothes. Playing silly buggers with team selection and player positions in games of ANY kind destroys confidence and it destroys momentum. That we took a fall against Peterborough will enhance our chances of smashing Forest is straight out of the If We Go Down We Are Going To Smash The Championship book of football myths.
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you can colour this anyway you like - but yesterday was a disgrace, another ignominious fuck up in a long line of ignominious cup fuck ups and I would like to think that the fuckwad in charge of the team is gone in May, irrespective of where we finish.
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Anyone who thinks there is anything positive about both the performance and the defeat today are deluded in my opinion. The club seemed to have turned a corner after the last 2 league games, especially Bristol and now that has been wiped away in those 90 minutes today. Whether you like the FA Cup or not , to me its the Holy Grail, winning is a habit and to have made 10 changes and to effectively play a team who have never played together before has proven to be ridiculous. My weekend is ruined when we loose especially when its in this manner and in the beloved (for me) FA Cup which I have never seen us win.
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We've not won it in 61 years. We've made two finals and been diabolical in both. We've not respected the cup in years. If people still remember who we've been knocked out by in two months time I'll be shocked.
It was a lamentable performance and if people want to get angry fair enough. All this garbage about not respecting fellow fans or questioning support seems a bit Mrs Lovejoy to me. We surrendered at Spurs last season. Do you remember it? Did you go? Who beat us the year before? No i dont remember either. The year before that, pity we didn't go out earlier.
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If there is any good to come out of this, it’s the realisation the squad is not good enough. We might have loads of players but there is little quality in the right positions. Problem is we are fucked by ffp and it will take years to address it, so we have to put up with days like yesterday
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I don't know about whether the squad is good enough, it would have helped if we'd actually played a balanced side.
Elphick and Whelan or an equivalent defensive midfielder out to have played. Instead we had three full backs and a centre half who hadn't played since 4th November at the back and a midfield without a holding player.
Thor moved the ball far too slowly.
Onomah slows down the play in a more effort filled way.
O'Hare is a delightful player but wasted wide.
Hourihane was the only one who got that you need to press and move it with speed- he looked like he was in the first IX.
Green was as rusty as you'd expect a rookie who hadn't played since August to be.
Lansbury has a nice range of passing but lacks discipline and any defensive ability; sit he cannot.
Davis looked a yard off the pace the way he was reacting a second or two behind and seemingly unable to react.
It was a side scooped up and thrown on and a number let themselves down, but the system didn't help. It was a wretched performance.
Will it affect momentum? Who knows. I'm not sure Johnstone, Hutton, Chester, Elmo, Jedinak, Snoddy, Adomah or Hogan, who will all come back in, will feel that chastened by it all.
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My concern with games like this isn't losing, as many have said, we weren't likely to be competitive later so we're not missing a big chance, it's the nature of the defeat. By all accounts we were disjointed and looked like the players didn't know each other, just the same as we were at the start of the season, and at various other points when we've had to make a few changes. I think something is wrong in training if a squad that has been together for 4 months looks so cobbled together. What it means is that the depth of the squad is meaningless because the only way we're building any familiarity in the squad is during matches. When you look at how difficult players have found it to settle in it just backs up the idea that we're not working on tactics or a 'style' in training.
I've said before that I'm not really sure what it is that Bruce does and everytime we have performances like today it just brings me back to it, he's not got the team running through walls, he rarely uses his bench to have a positive effect, he doesn't do anything to change the game tactically if his 'plan' isn't working. I just don't see the value he adds.
100% - bang on.
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I also think that even though we threw this game to "concentrate" on the league we could turn up at Forest on Saturday and look like we've done nothing in training since the last game despite most of our team having a long rest.
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Or we could turn up and better them silly. Or even something in between.
As long as we outscored them I'm not arsed.
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First time I've been online in days.
I think it could be our year.
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Another “In hindsight I got the team selection wrong” afternoon.
How many times have we heard this line.
Personally the fact that we are out of the cup I’m not bothered about, it’s more the fact that there isn’t a plan. You’d have thought that after throwing in Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjorne straight into the starting line up away at Brentford last year he’d have had enough instances of realising what impact these decisions have when globally you don’t have a plan that the fringe players within the squad can come in and work to.
All eggs in the promotion chasing basket now, better hope we have no more injuries for the reasons mentioned.
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It's the FA Cup, one of the three trophies we can possibly win. Two of them we're already out of contention. I honestly think that he should put out his best team and attempt to win the game. Giving players "game time" by making such wholesale changes is just putting up the white flag. I'm not having it and I want my money back!
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Main problem for me is that winning games builds confidence and momentum. Our reputation and “brand” have been damaged over the last few years and a decent cup run gets people / pundits talking about us. I would love a cup run, don’t agree that a cup run would be damaging to a push for the playoffs. Players can get injured anytime even in training!
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I didn't have a problem with him resting the likes of Chester and Adomah. Green and Terry needed some playing time so that made sense too. What we had out on the pitch should have been enough to win but they didn't look up for it at all after we got in front and we were painfully slow up front. All in all, very cold and very crap.
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To those that went, how did Terry play just out of interest?
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I didn't have a problem with him resting the likes of Chester and Adomah. Green and Terry needed some playing time so that made sense too. What we had out on the pitch should have been enough to win but they didn't look up for it at all after we got in front and we were painfully slow up front. All in all, very cold and very crap.
exactly what I thought , thou I would have played Whelan and Elphick and in their right positions and even Hutton at LB who never seems to get injured and always wants to play but I thought on paper and of course setting the team up properly with players in their ' right ' positions , we should have been good enough.
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I didn't have a problem with him resting the likes of Chester and Adomah. Green and Terry needed some playing time so that made sense too. What we had out on the pitch should have been enough to win but they didn't look up for it at all after we got in front and we were painfully slow up front. All in all, very cold and very crap.
exactly what I thought , thou I would have played Whelan and Elphick and in their right positions and even Hutton at LB who never seems to get injured and always wants to play but I thought on paper and of course setting the team up properly with players in their ' right ' positions , we should have been good enough.
Yes, I'd have played Elphick, Whelan and probably RHM from the start.
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Yesterday I attended the game with my 20 year old son, who currently resides in London. He is a Villa fan and will always be one. Sadly we couldn't remember when we last attended together and sadly after the game we didn't discuss the next one we'll attend together. I suspect he represents a lapsed generation of match day supporters of which there must be plenty out there and for which the likes of Bruce (in his 14 months) and his predecessors of the last 7-8 years (along with the people behind the scenes) must share some of the responsibility for the tripe on the pitch that is served up with alarming regularity.
Regarding yesterday's costs, as a fan of 47+ years, ex-season ticket, but regular attender of 15+ games a season (when I'm in the country), I paid £15 for the pleasure of my team saving themselves for the league under Bruce. Posh fans on the way to the ground were telling me they'd paid £10! Being stung by my own club (in terms of performance and financially) I personally find very distasteful! Shame on Bruce for his mis-management on the day, shame on players like Taylor and Onomah who couldn't be arsed and shame on the decision makers who set the price of seats for the match!
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I paid 10 quid. Peterborough season ticket holders paid a tenner.
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I paid £10 too so the club was not ripping off anybody.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner. Those that aren't paid more. I wish the seats behind me would price the day trippers out behind me or that the season ticket holders would turn up to these games.
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Cheers Clampy and Ads for your useful insight.
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Cheers Clampy and Ads for your useful insight.
Glad we could help.
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Yesterday I attended the game with my 20 year old son, who currently resides in London. He is a Villa fan and will always be one. Sadly we couldn't remember when we last attended together and sadly after the game we didn't discuss the next one we'll attend together. I suspect he represents a lapsed generation of match day supporters of which there must be plenty out there and for which the likes of Bruce (in his 14 months) and his predecessors of the last 7-8 years (along with the people behind the scenes) must share some of the responsibility for the tripe on the pitch that is served up with alarming regularity.
Regarding yesterday's costs, as a fan of 47+ years, ex-season ticket, but regular attender of 15+ games a season (when I'm in the country), I paid £15 for the pleasure of my team saving themselves for the league under Bruce. Posh fans on the way to the ground were telling me they'd paid £10! Being stung by my own club (in terms of performance and financially) I personally find very distasteful! Shame on Bruce for his mis-management on the day, shame on players like Taylor and Onomah who couldn't be arsed and shame on the decision makers who set the price of seats for the match!
I guess it was probably different with it being NYD but if you'd gone to the Bristol game with your son then of course things would've been different as that was our most enjoyable home game in about 3 years.
I always give early cup games a swerve, half empty VP, dodgy team selections and you never know what sort of mentality the team will have. Sometimes they'll do enough to win, other teams the other team will come to VP and play with freedom and show their quality as Peterbrough did.
If we got to the 5th round or quarters and did all this I would be fuming but losing in the third round is simply miles away from doing anything in the competition so I just can't get angry about it I'm sorry.
Edit: Monday was brilliant. Our best home game in many years in terms of entertainment and enjoyment. Surprises me how quickly it seems to be airbrushed as we took on and completely outplayed another very good team. In a competition where we actually need to achieve something aswell.
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Clampy, shouldn't that have been "I"?
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Clampy, shouldn't that have been "I"?
Yes, I suppose it should but I'm sure Ad's is equally as pleased he could help.
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Looked in on a Peterborough forum and they're saying they can't believe how much time we gave them when they had the ball. I think the team selection was all wrong and very unbalanced BUT there was enough talent on the pitch to win that game. There is simply no excuse for the lack of effort. NONE. I am still fuming!!
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Only seen the highlights on the BBC. Looking at the starting 11 and the bench, I can't work out why Doyles-Hayes didn't get a game (seeing as Whelan wasn't involved). I take it that Bjarnason started the game as the holding midfielder..?
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Now 60 years.
I hope Bruce gets us promoted after yesterday, only way for redemption.
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To those that went, how did Terry play just out of interest?
Mate we conceded 3 against a nearly non league team so you work it out😟
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Cheers Clampy and Ads for your useful insight.
Glad we could help.
Wooosh🤣
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I'd say the woosh is moaning about season ticket holders of both clubs being rewarded with chepaer tickets myself.
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I'd say the woosh is moaning about season ticket holders of both clubs being rewarded with chepaer tickets myself.
I'm not sure what the whoosh was about either.
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To those that went, how did Terry play just out of interest?
Very rusty. Would be shocked if he is straight in the team next Saturday.
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To those that went, how did Terry play just out of interest?
Very rusty. Would be shocked if he is straight in the team next Saturday.
Perhaps that's why neither Elphick nor Chester played yesterday.
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I thought Terry played very well considering the time out he has had.
Infact, I said to my mate (before they equalised) that it was exactly the kind of game he needed. At the time it was second half and we were under a bit of pressure with balls coming in from all directions. He won, blocked or cleared pretty much every one and it looked like he was really enjoying it.
Of course everything else was crap and we fell apart but that’s my answer to the original question.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner
No they didn't, I paid £15.00 and I'm a season ticket holder
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fuck, then you were well and truly mugged.
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I thought it was a bargain at the time too!
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Looked in on a Peterborough forum and they're saying they can't believe how much time we gave them when they had the ball. I think the team selection was all wrong and very unbalanced BUT there was enough talent on the pitch to win that game. There is simply no excuse for the lack of effort. NONE. I am still fuming!!
The Bristool game was the bench mark of how we should play where we did plenty of pressing. I didn’t go yesterday so I assume there was little of that. Why he has to change a style and approach regardless of the players involved is beyond me.
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When we do these prices it's usually £10 Holte and North, £15 Witton and Trinity.
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Season ticket holders were £10, but you had to buy before Wednesday, I think, after that it was £15 even for a season ticket holder.
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I was really unimpressed with Taylor and Omonah, especially the latter. No idea what his role was, didn't attack and didn't tackle. Would rather have had Bree there as he is more of a midfielder for me and yes had a couple of wobbles but apart from that played well.
Hourihane and O'Hare plus De Laet linked up well for our best football in the first half and in fact match. Davis was crying out for help and tired badly second half.
Ultimately we didn't play like a team again and it showed. Against Bristiol City we pressed as a team and that was lacking yesterday. Grealish should have started the second half and we would probably have got the result.
Only trophy I really want to see us win.
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Yesterday I attended the game with my 20 year old son, who currently resides in London. He is a Villa fan and will always be one. Sadly we couldn't remember when we last attended together and sadly after the game we didn't discuss the next one we'll attend together. I suspect he represents a lapsed generation of match day supporters of which there must be plenty out there and for which the likes of Bruce (in his 14 months) and his predecessors of the last 7-8 years (along with the people behind the scenes) must share some of the responsibility for the tripe on the pitch that is served up with alarming regularity.
Regarding yesterday's costs, as a fan of 47+ years, ex-season ticket, but regular attender of 15+ games a season (when I'm in the country), I paid £15 for the pleasure of my team saving themselves for the league under Bruce. Posh fans on the way to the ground were telling me they'd paid £10! Being stung by my own club (in terms of performance and financially) I personally find very distasteful! Shame on Bruce for his mis-management on the day, shame on players like Taylor and Onomah who couldn't be arsed and shame on the decision makers who set the price of seats for the match!
I guess it was probably different with it being NYD but if you'd gone to the Bristol game with your son then of course things would've been different as that was our most enjoyable home game in about 3 years.
I always give early cup games a swerve, half empty VP, dodgy team selections and you never know what sort of mentality the team will have. Sometimes they'll do enough to win, other teams the other team will come to VP and play with freedom and show their quality as Peterbrough did.
If we got to the 5th round or quarters and did all this I would be fuming but losing in the third round is simply miles away from doing anything in the competition so I just can't get angry about it I'm sorry.
Edit: Monday was brilliant. Our best home game in many years in terms of entertainment and enjoyment. Surprises me how quickly it seems to be airbrushed as we took on and completely outplayed another very good team. In a competition where we actually need to achieve something aswell.
Couple of things. You only get to the 5th round or quarters by winning the earlier rounds. If the later rounds are worth winning it stands to reason that the earlier rounds are too.
Also, the undermining of the feelgood factor from the last couple of decent results is another reason why this game mattered. Despite the protestations of a few that they don't care, most people seem pretty pissed off and this has heaped the pressure back on the manager ahead of next week.
For what it's worth I don't particularly blame Bruce for making some changes. I thought the line-up looked OK before kick off. I should also say I didn't see the match but the view is pretty unanimous that we were conclusively second best. That any team put out by the club perform so abjectly in a competitive fixture is a concern. Particularly with a manager who still has some convincing to do and not too far away from a poor run of results.
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Feel good factor? One thing I'm certain of if we'd have won is I'd have been equally as indifferent about it and looking forward to Star Wars and a few pints just the same.
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The magic of the cup? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzvS4Z6oLzc)
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I am assuming Dave Woodhall will be publishing a piece. May I suggest Press-Poshterous for the thread title?
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The magic of the cup? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzvS4Z6oLzc)
lovely turn for the goal from the big man. I didn't watch anything more after that.
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Or Cold Cambs Press.
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Peter-ing Out.
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Posh wank.
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Having seen the highlights on Pravda, I don't feel so bad about it. Maybe it's the way they pravda'd it but it looked like we had plenty of chances and the players we picked did have a go.
It's just that having a defence that hasn't played together is likely to be tested against a confident team also willing to have a go.
But, surprisingly, going forward, I'm not as pissed off as I expected to be given we play Bruceball.
Playing players in positions they are not familiar with is the biggest thing to level at Bruce in a game like that - I'd love to see O'Hare play where he's used to as you can tell he has the nous to hurt teams. I also wish we had a proper left full-back. Taylor is mince.
But, yeah, fair play to Posh.
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Or a Pain in The Poshterior
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More Pressure on Bruce.
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It was a really disappointing performance and you can tell from Bruce's interview he was not happy.
The reality is that cup is not a priority this year and it was a good opportunity to give some youngsters a run out (who many have been pushing to be played in league games), a much needed run out for players returning from injury and a few squad players who will probably have a part to play before the season is over. It was a reasonably strong team and if you look at the match thread the sentiment was pretty positive before the game.
For whatever reason the players didn't turn up on the day. This may be Bruce's fault for not getting them up for it or a combination of rustiness and post NYE fatigue. He does have to take responsibility for the performance, but it wasn't a 'cowardly' line up and nor did he throw the game.
Most clubs playing for something in the league rest players for cup games and you only need to look at the number of teams who lost to lower league opposition (including Leeds and Arsenal today) to see that this is hardly unique to Villa.
So yes it was a poor performance and yes it's a shame we have lost momentum, but in the context of our season it really was not a critical game. We all want to win the cup but this was never going to be our year. Saturday is far more important.
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Thanks. That was inspirational.
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It was a really disappointing performance and you can tell from Bruce's interview he was not happy.
The reality is that cup is not a priority this year and it was a good opportunity to give some youngsters a run out (who many have been pushing to be played in league games), a much needed run out for players returning from injury and a few squad players who will probably have a part to play before the season is over. It was a reasonably strong team and if you look at the match thread the sentiment was pretty positive before the game.
For whatever reason the players didn't turn up on the day. This may be Bruce's fault for not getting them up for it or a combination of rustiness and post NYE fatigue. He does have to take responsibility for the performance, but it wasn't a 'cowardly' line up and nor did he throw the game.
Most clubs playing for something in the league rest players for cup games and you only need to look at the number of teams who lost to lower league opposition (including Leeds and Arsenal today) to see that this is hardly unique to Villa.
So yes it was a poor performance and yes it's a shame we have lost momentum, but in the context of our season it really was not a critical game. We all want to win the cup but this was never going to be our year. Saturday is far more important.
So exactly when will it be “Our year” then?
Surely this year could have been our year with everyone putting out half fit or fringe first teamers.
The fact is that we’ll never get to our year because there will always be an excuse to disrespect it.
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So exactly when will it be “Our year” then?
Surely this year could have been our year with everyone putting out half fit or fringe first teamers.
The fact is that we’ll never get to our year because there will always be an excuse to disrespect it.
This is a good point. Not specfific to Aston Villa mind. Most clubs are the same.
I suppose to answer your question the time to take the cup seriously is when you are firmly mid table?
Its an interesting question because in the Championship you will be hunting playoff spots and in the Prem you will be hoping for European slots. Incidentally the FA cup matters less now because there are far more important trophies to win.
Still I would sooner have the FA cup having its current reduced importance but mildy competitive because of it rather than it being another bit of silverware the richest clubs can hoover up (like the Coppa Italia).
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Would need a strong squad and a few kind draws to take us deep into the competition. I bet managers would start taking the competition more seriously once they make the last 16 and beyond.
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Pity we didn’t draw Spurs away because that would be another string to Bruce’s bow; taking a team to Wembley.
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Pity we didn’t draw Spurs away because that would be another string to Bruce’s bow; taking a team to Wembley.
There's always the play-offs.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner. Those that aren't paid more. I wish the seats behind me would price the day trippers out behind me or that the season ticket holders would turn up to these games.
Incorrect. Some paid more.
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The magic of the cup? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzvS4Z6oLzc)
lovely turn for the goal from the big man. I didn't watch anything more after that.
Couple of missed chances/sitters when 1-0 up. Blatant foul on RDL for their opener, second was going into Steer's hands until Taylor intervened 😎
What was genuinely worrying from the highlights, apart from the state of the pitch, it looked as if our central midfielders were content to let their runners waltz through unopposed for every counterattack. Hourihane and Onomah are regular first teamers but didn't look remotely bothered about getting back goal side.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner. Those that aren't paid more. I wish the seats behind me would price the day trippers out behind me or that the season ticket holders would turn up to these games.
Incorrect. Some paid more.
Yes, those that aren't season ticket holders paid more.
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So did season ticket holders who didn't purchase by the end of Wednesday.
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Thanks. That was inspirational.
It was Steve Bruce's half-time team-talk.
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So did season ticket holders who didn't purchase by the end of Wednesday.
But they could have paid less, the offer waa there. Still, £16 for a dad and a kid was reasonable enough.
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Yeah agreed, I wasn't complaining. Just trying to help the poster who queried the prices understand why he may have paid more.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner. Those that aren't paid more. I wish the seats behind me would price the day trippers out behind me or that the season ticket holders would turn up to these games.
Incorrect. Some paid more.
Yes, those that aren't season ticket holders paid more.
I paid £9 as it happens.
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Whilst I am a positive bloke, Saturday showed the problems with our players, system (or lack of) and manager are legion. Will it change anything? No. Will I go to the next game? Yes. Will I moan a bit? Likely, because I care.
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It was a really disappointing performance and you can tell from Bruce's interview he was not happy.
The reality is that cup is not a priority this year and it was a good opportunity to give some youngsters a run out (who many have been pushing to be played in league games), a much needed run out for players returning from injury and a few squad players who will probably have a part to play before the season is over. It was a reasonably strong team and if you look at the match thread the sentiment was pretty positive before the game.
For whatever reason the players didn't turn up on the day. This may be Bruce's fault for not getting them up for it or a combination of rustiness and post NYE fatigue. He does have to take responsibility for the performance, but it wasn't a 'cowardly' line up and nor did he throw the game.
Most clubs playing for something in the league rest players for cup games and you only need to look at the number of teams who lost to lower league opposition (including Leeds and Arsenal today) to see that this is hardly unique to Villa.
So yes it was a poor performance and yes it's a shame we have lost momentum, but in the context of our season it really was not a critical game. We all want to win the cup but this was never going to be our year. Saturday is far more important.
So exactly when will it be “Our year” then?
Surely this year could have been our year with everyone putting out half fit or fringe first teamers.
The fact is that we’ll never get to our year because there will always be an excuse to disrespect it.
Who know when it will be. But it's not going to be when we're in the second division fighting for promotion in a 46 game season when our squad is of pretty average quality and has been hit with numerous injuries.
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Thanks. That was inspirational.
It was Steve Bruce's half-time team-talk.
😂 😂
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Looked a good game from the highlights, plenty of chances to have won it.
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All season ticket holders of both clubs paid a tenner
No they didn't, I paid £15.00 and I'm a season ticket holder
Sorry - my mistake (again), I only paid £10
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Saturday was the first time we have lost to Peterborough in our history. We've only played them 5 times before though.
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It was a really disappointing performance and you can tell from Bruce's interview he was not happy.
The reality is that cup is not a priority this year and it was a good opportunity to give some youngsters a run out (who many have been pushing to be played in league games), a much needed run out for players returning from injury and a few squad players who will probably have a part to play before the season is over. It was a reasonably strong team and if you look at the match thread the sentiment was pretty positive before the game.
For whatever reason the players didn't turn up on the day. This may be Bruce's fault for not getting them up for it or a combination of rustiness and post NYE fatigue. He does have to take responsibility for the performance, but it wasn't a 'cowardly' line up and nor did he throw the game.
Most clubs playing for something in the league rest players for cup games and you only need to look at the number of teams who lost to lower league opposition (including Leeds and Arsenal today) to see that this is hardly unique to Villa.
So yes it was a poor performance and yes it's a shame we have lost momentum, but in the context of our season it really was not a critical game. We all want to win the cup but this was never going to be our year. Saturday is far more important.
So exactly when will it be “Our year” then?
Surely this year could have been our year with everyone putting out half fit or fringe first teamers.
The fact is that we’ll never get to our year because there will always be an excuse to disrespect it.
Who know when it will be. But it's not going to be when we're in the second division fighting for promotion in a 46 game season when our squad is of pretty average quality and has been hit with numerous injuries.
So that means it will never be out Year then. Because there will always be an excuse not to bother.
I mean who could possibly get a Championship side at least to the final and get them promoted to the Premier League in the modern era?
Oh hang on a minute!