Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: NorthYvillan on April 11, 2011, 11:46:35 AM
-
Heard this interesting stat yesterday:
"Aston Villa have lost 23 points from winning positions this season"
If we had held on to half of these we woud be in 6th position not scratching around in the lower reaches of the table.
Taken with the performance yesterday can anyone doubt that it is our defence that needs a major overhaul this summer? For me we need a new keeper; at least one centre back, but probably two; and a left back of proven pedigree. We can probably get by at right back with Luke Young and Carlos Cuellar.
-
We've only won about 3 from losing positions too.
-
Considering we had one of the best defences in the league last season, its odd that we have become so leaky this season at the back.
-
Considering we had one of the best defences in the league last season, its odd that we have become so leaky this season at the back.
When you consider that last season's regular back 4 is still there but either not played or have had fallings out with the coaching staff, I don;t think it's odd just poor management.
-
I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
-
I agree John.
-
Think the defence has been much less reliable this year but also think not having the likes of Milner (and to a lesser degree Petrov this season) protecting the defence has been a factor.
-
I think a couple of factors have been applicable
Firstly the defense that was strong was bought and based on being big ugly buggers that were stoppers first and defenders 2nd. At times MON would have 4 CH's lined up across the back and row Z was always an unsafe place to sit. Now that GH is trying to get them to play it out from the back you can see that they are just not comfortable with the system. Another factor is stability - due to so many injuries it has hardly been the same 4 for 2 games running - defenders have to gel together and know each others games - not only have we had kids in there but even kids played out of position.
Which brings me on to another point - Midfield - the same factor in as much as the amount of kids we have played in the middle of the park - not one of them (Bannan / Hogg / Albrighton / Herd / Delph / Clark) are 10st wringing wet so they have been overpowered and out muscled a few times - Most premiership teams are filled with big bastards nowadays and this has meant that if a forward play has broken down the opposition are at our back 4 in an instant and have been pulled from pillar to post
I am sure the summer will see a whole new set up in both positions
-
Good points Hookeysmith.
I would add to that by saying we used to man mark and now seem to zonal mark. Defending set pieces you now see us line up in a certain way and I don't think we're comfortable at that either. Dunne, Collins and Cueller strike me as lads who like to pull and drag, out muscle/out jump an opponent. I think this zonal marking lark is a bit beyond them. Also, they're not good enough on the ball to play the game Houllier wants.
-
I would add to that by saying we used to man mark and now seem to zonal mark.
It was MON who bought zonal marking in though right?
-
Considering we had one of the best defences in the league last season, its odd that we have become so leaky this season at the back.
When you consider that last season's regular back 4 is still there but either not played or have had fallings out with the coaching staff, I don;t think it's odd just poor management.
And professionalism on the players' part.
-
I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
The only difference is the manager.
-
I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
The only difference is the manager.
And loss of best player.
-
Considering we had one of the best defences in the league last season, its odd that we have become so leaky this season at the back.
When you consider that last season's regular back 4 is still there but either not played or have had fallings out with the coaching staff, I don;t think it's odd just poor management.
And professionalism on the players' part.
That has had a bearing undoubtedly, but has their been poor performances due to discipline problems or the other way round? For me it's noticeable that the players didn't start acting this way until he came in, so although not an excuse it's another sign of weak leadership as far as I'm concerned.
-
That has had a bearing undoubtedly, but has their been poor performances due to discipline problems or the other way round? For me it's noticeable that the players didn't start acting this way until he came in, so although not an excuse it's another sign of weak leadership as far as I'm concerned.
I've a feeling that Dunne would have been as atrocious under any manager this year. He came back in August in absolutely terrible shape, which shows his unprofessional attitude was there prior to GH being appointed. I remember seeing him at the West Ham game, and noting how bloody overweight he was.
-
He came back carying a few extra pounds that's for sure, but it's pretty academic to try and and argue what he would/wouldn't have been like under a different manager. All we know was he was great under MON and poor under Gezza.
-
I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
The only difference is the manager.
Our defensive frailties exhibited themselves before the appointment of Houllier (Rapid Vienna, Newcastle, Stoke) - although I accept that he hasn't been able to improve things. However injuries through the autumn didn't help.
-
When you look at what Hodgson has done at West Brom, it's not unreasonable to expect a manager with even more pedigree (and who inherited a more talented squad) to perform a wee bit better than he has.
That's generally the idea, isn't it? Work with what you have and try to improve it. If the defence looked like a problem area (as it did from the Newcastle game onwards) that should have been the main focus of attention.
The 23 points from winning positions can be a bit misleading; you might score in the first 10-15 minutes and then be on the back foot for the rest of the game. Off the top of my head though, Stoke away, Fulham away, Man U at home, Fulham at home and Bolton away were all games we dominated and should have got maximum points.
-
We give the ball away too cheaply when the opposition are chasing the game, bringing pressure upon ourselves all the time.
We were exactly the same under MON, only because we more often than not conceded possession after a long ball to Carew, we still had protection in place when it came back at us. MON also got the wide midfielders to drop deeper as extra full-backs when we lost possession which made it more difficult for the opponents. Now our full-backs seem more exposed.
To play the way GH wants us to play clearly requires players who are better at retaining possession than what we have. But then Makoun was awful yesterday, and he was supposedly someone brought in by GH to do just that!
-
Considering we had one of the best defences in the league last season, its odd that we have become so leaky this season at the back.
When you consider that last season's regular back 4 is still there but either not played or have had fallings out with the coaching staff, I don;t think it's odd just poor management.
I might not be as blunt as that. I might not say it is the only factor but I think it is that.
We can blame the injuries but we must then consider the fact our performances have been worse with senior rather than young players in.
Houllier's big mistake has been in trying to change things too quickly. That has upset the players and lead to the fall outs. He has not considered the limitations of our players and the fact that without a few changes to personnel it was not possible for us to play a more passing game that our players in particular those at the back were not well suited too. He has also made some bizarre calls. The strange neither one thing nor another formation and continuing to play the bloated mess and accident waiting to happen that is Richard Dunne where a Cuellar or a Clark (maybe even both if you consider Collins' form) is available. Add to this the FA cup surrender ( :'( ) which failed and god knows how many other things that just haven't helped.
I'm not saying our players haven't been c***s but the manager has lead to some of that and exacerbated it.
-
I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
The only difference is I find it baffling that we can be so good one season then the next the defence is rubbish.
The only difference is the manager.
A lot of people seem to forget that the wheels started to fall off well before the end of last season.
-
He came back carying a few extra pounds that's for sure, but it's pretty academic to try and and argue what he would/wouldn't have been like under a different manager. All we know was he was great under MON and poor under Gezza.
Well with five days before the start of the season when O'Neil fecked-off, Dunne was very much carrying timber. Don't think he would have shifted it that quickly regardless of who was in charge.