Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on April 17, 2017, 05:46:31 PM
-
The last 1/10th of one fuck that I gave about this season has left the building. Two batterings in 48 hours against world powers Reading and Fulham. Fuck me
-
As soon as I saw Amavi and Elphick in defence I knew it was over...
-
Kodjia gets the blame for that one, even if the ref had a shocker
-
Players on the beach after the final nail went in for promotion after the Burton draw?
-
The movement of the Fulham front 3 and the willingness of their fullbacks to get forward killed us.
The red was a bit harsh, they should have either both gone or both warned.
Grealish, great goal aside, was annonimous, as was Amavi.
-
I must say the 3 at the back and 2 wing backs went well. Did Bruce study the Fulham team before making that decision.
-
Who cares?
Beat Small Heath and make sure we lose to Blackburn. Spend the summer laughing at them and rebuilding our squad again. Then build a proper promotion challenge next season.
-
The red card looked very harsh to me from the couple of angles I've seen...yes, he made movement with his leg towards the Fulham player, but there was no back lift and was in reaction to the Fulhams players arguably intentionally kicking JK during his fall. Very soft red card and was only seen by the fourth official. The club should challenge this decision, but may be declined on the basis of intent.
It was always going to be a struggle to get any kind of result against Fulham, and it became an impossible task with 10 men.
The season is over so let's just hope for a result next weekend against the Blue scum.
-
I must say the 3 at the back and 2 wing backs went well. Did Bruce study the Fulham team before making that decision.
I'm sure he did, they like their full backs bombing forward. Problem is our wing back we're both shite today. Amavi is embarrassingly easy to beat
-
Didn't see the game but not surprised at the result at all. We probably did well to get it back to 1-1 briefly considering we were down to 10 for most of the game.
Any chance we can appeal the red? Suddenly this SHA game has become a massive banana skin. We need Hogan to step up now.
-
The red was a bit harsh, they should have either both gone or both warned.
Totally agree, 2 reds or 2 yellows. When you see that late tackle on Bree go unpunished when the ref played the advantage, makes you wonder about referees these days.
-
Garbage, again.
I have a nasty feeling that around November next season Bruce will be looking for a new job. We just don't seem capable of putting together a decent 90 minute performance. With the money we have spent and the time Bruce has had at the club we shouldn't have to be playing ultra defensive football to try and get anything from games.
Look at Hourihane, Lansbury and Hogans records this season before joining us. We simply aren't encouraging the players to play to their natural strengths. Would anyone be surprised if between them they score less than 15 goals next season, I certainly wouldn't.
Without Kodjia, who scores goals out of the blue, we don't look like scoring, there's no build up play as such, no control, no concerted pressure. The passing is atrocious and they all lose their heads when we concede.
I'm worried.
-
Abysmal.
-
I must say the 3 at the back and 2 wing backs went well. Did Bruce study the Fulham team before making that decision.
I'm sure he did, they like their full backs bombing forward. Problem is our wing back we're both shite today. Amavi is embarrassingly easy to beat
With two attacking fullbacks and wide players as well, the last thing you should be doing is pushing wing backs forward and leaving big gaps behind them. Particularly as we do not have pace at the back or in central midfield to cover.
-
Can we swap Amavi for anything, even a Coconut this summer too please. He's fucking crap. Gardner, Grealish and Jedinak were never going to get a grip of the midfield today, that's basically a one man, 33 year old, midfield.
-
Thought Gardner played ok today. Jack was very poor goal aside. Nice to see RHM get 15 mins. There that's all I can say....
-
Hate to say it but Radio WM is right when they say we have no tempo. Everyone we play looks quicker and more mobile.
If Bruce is happy with that then he's not the manager who will take us up. Getting the impression we might be here for a while.
-
The red card looked very harsh to me from the couple of angles I've seen...yes, he made movement with his leg towards the Fulham player, but there was no back lift and was in reaction to the Fulhams players arguably intentionally kicking JK during his fall. Very soft red card and was only seen by the fourth official. The club should challenge this decision, but may be declined on the basis of intent.
It was always going to be a struggle to get any kind of result against Fulham, and it became an impossible task with 10 men.
The season is over so let's just hope for a result next weekend against the Blue scum.
Bloody hell, this is how far we have sunk when we don't even expect to get anything against the MIGHTY Fulham, we may as well give up then!
-
Strange team selection, worry for me is that bruce looks clueless. Says all the right things after a game and then goes and does it all again next game or something bizarre like today
-
Abysmal.
Quite.
-
I thought line up and formation suspect. Game was effectively over once JK sent off even though their fella should have gone too. Overall passing very poor, application from some V poor and i can see us not winning another game this season, particularly if JK is missing as expected. I got abused on Facebook for expressing these sentiments and told we lost because we only had ten men. That guy can believe that if he wants but even before JK went we looked shit. Results have been better than performances and we now being found out a bit. I'd like to believe next season will be much better.
-
I thought line up and formation suspect. Game was effectively over once JK sent off even though their fella should have gone too. Overall passing very poor, application from some V poor and i can see us not winning another game this season, particularly if JK is missing as expected. I got abused on Facebook for expressing these sentiments and told we lost because we only had ten men. That guy can believe that if he wants but even before JK went we looked shit. Results have been better than performances and we now being found out a bit. I'd like to believe next season will be much better.
I had the misfortune of going on the official club page, jesus wept :o
-
Only just seen the result and the 2nd post on this thread means I don't need to see a match report to have an idea where our failings were.
-
Absolutely shocking performance.
The line up and the system were awful. The stupid red card didn't help, the dim-witted substitution of Hutton just about summed it up.
We consistently failed to stop balls coming into the box, we stood off them and gave them far too much time on the ball and we recycled it so cheaply.
Gardner is a farce, Amavi isn't good enough and Grealish, goal aside was an absolute abomination.
I'm dumbfounded by how inept everything about today was.
-
The red card looked very harsh to me from the couple of angles I've seen...yes, he made movement with his leg towards the Fulham player, but there was no back lift and was in reaction to the Fulhams players arguably intentionally kicking JK during his fall. Very soft red card and was only seen by the fourth official. The club should challenge this decision, but may be declined on the basis of intent.
It was always going to be a struggle to get any kind of result against Fulham, and it became an impossible task with 10 men.
The season is over so let's just hope for a result next weekend against the Blue scum.
Bloody hell, this is how far we have sunk when we don't even expect to get anything against the MIGHTY Fulham, we may as well give up then!
Didn't they beat us a couple of times when we were finishing 6th under MON?
They have something to play for, we don't. They also had an extra 24 hours so I thought it was one of the more obvious results of the season today.
-
This feels like we are going to be down in this shit heap for a while. Reading got tonked 7-1, then get themselves back on track almost immediately with back to back wins. We'd use it as an excuse, ''confidence is shattered'', to play badly for the next 3 months. There's no fucking heart, it looks like a load of random players stuck together to get through 90 minutes. We are ponderous, the running off the ball is non existent, we go through the same pattern of play over and over, almost playing to a script, it's shit, we've been shit and with the cash we've spunked been a complete embarrassment this season.
Another one I can't wait until it ends so we can kid ourselves it's going to be great next season.
On another note, does anyone know when season tickets are going to be put back up on sale?
-
Hate to say it but Radio WM is right when they say we have no tempo. Everyone we play looks quicker and more mobile.
If Bruce is happy with that then he's not the manager who will take us up. Getting the impression we might be here for a while.
I said the same about Saturday's game, we're slow and ponderous while whoever we are playing seem to zip the ball about and have a lot more movement off the ball. Football is essentially pass and move. We pass (often to the opposition) and stand still.
-
You're not going to play at tempo when Jedinak, Grealish and Gardner are stinking the midfield out.
If you wanted to rest Adomah, then fine, 433 or 442 with RHM and Green coming in. Not fucking Gardner or the ponderous Grealish.
-
For more years than I care to recall, I've never known us squander an opportunity to shoot ourselves in the foot.
Kodjia's sending off might have been harsh, but if you kick out at a player that's what you can expect. It was stupid and petulant, but wasn't out of place in the annals of Villa stupidity. Now our only goal threat misses the rest of the season, plus the only game that really matters in the run in.
Talking of that game, if we go into it with such entitlement, complacency and arrogance that's become a kind of Villa trademark in recent years, we'll get precisely what we deserved today and Saturday. Don't think it can't happen, we can always find a way.
-
Didn't they beat us a couple of times when we were finishing 6th under MON?
We've certainly lost the last three or four times I've seen us there. If it wasn't so nice I'd hate going to Fulham.
My son's first game today. I don't think it did the cause much good.
-
The first 15 minutes of this match were the most embarrassing even in light of some of the mega thrashings we had in the Premier League. FFS Bruce what were you thinking?
-
He'll apologise, say it can't happen again, say we have to be much better, say the fans deserve more, then send us out ultra defensively next Sunday against form wise the worst side in the division.
-
Veryshitelights (http://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-a-villa/report/358620)
-
The season is over so let's just hope for a result next weekend against the Blue scum.
I don't actually give a **** about result next week. Two shameful teams representing our city. Both are an embarrassment so for me no pride even if Villa win.
-
For more years than I care to recall, I've never known us squander an opportunity to shoot ourselves in the foot.
Kodjia's sending off might have been harsh, but if you kick out at a player that's what you can expect. It was stupid and petulant, but wasn't out of place in the annals of Villa stupidity. Now our only goal threat misses the rest of the season, plus the only game that really matters in the run in.
Talking of that game, if we go into it with such entitlement, complacency and arrogance that's become a kind of Villa trademark in recent years, we'll get precisely what we deserved today and Saturday. Don't think it can't happen, we can always find a way.
However many times you say it that wasn't a performance of entitlement, complacency or arrogance, it was a performance of a team that don't have any style of play, with a mix of out of form players, tired players and players who've been thrown into the team at short notice. We were disjointed because we had 1 day (where we probably didn't even train) between games and decided it was a perfect opportunity to change the fucking formation. We had wingbacks who had bene told to get forward and when it became obvious they were doubling up on them we did fuck all to address it and just left them both hung out to dry.
Losing Kodjia was a massive blow, especially given there's no way you can give 1 red for that incident, it was both or nothing, but even before that we looked like a team that had been cobbled together.
-
Hmmm rubbish again.
-
Too many crap players. Amavi, Gardner, Elphick, Grealish, Hogan, all hopeless. We're not getting promoted under Bruce, next season or any other.
-
Presumably Codger gets a three match ban and that's his season over? Peter Withe remains our last 20 league goal hero, forever destined to be frozen in time. Proper order too, Jaykay ain't fit to lace Pete's proverbial.
-
The first 15 minutes of this match were the most embarrassing even in light of some of the mega thrashings we had in the Premier League. FFS Bruce what were you thinking?
Bruce is an experienced manager, he admitted that changing to three at the back a couple of months was a mistake so it's hard to fathom why he thought it was worth another go today.
It was a pathetic performance from the start. Harsh red card, agree with Peter Beagrie that both should have been sent off. But the lack of effort on the pitch and sideline was galling. We were crying out for Hourihane to come on at least 20 mins earlier but Bruce wanted to wait until Fulham made sure of the victory first.
Thought Elphick had a decent game, Chester and Jedinsk ok. Grealish scored a goal of immense quality. Apart from that, Bree looked like a young Alan Hutton, no defensive awareness at all. Baker looked a pub player. Gardner, glued to the ground. Amavi, heart the size of a stone. Hogan, didn't try a leg. Johnstone, didn't inspire confidence.
-
Too many crap players. Amavi, Gardner, Elphick, Grealish, Hogan, all hopeless. We're not getting promoted under Bruce, next season or any other.
I'd sell all of them in the summer for whatever we can get, apart from Hogan who's going to get a season here but looks the wrong kind of player to be in this team with Kodjia up front too. They're all slow and don't move the ball quick enough, apart from Amavi, who's just thick and useless.
-
Veryshitelights (http://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-a-villa/report/358620)
That's never worthy of a straight red card in a million years.
-
One silver lining would have been JK getting 20 goals and now will have a 3 game ban so he must be packing for Vegas by dinner time.
Can only see playing that selection is he's saving some for the rags?
Zola has just resigned so maybe we get a sellout 5-0 hammering.
-
When you're playing an in form side away from home 48 hours after your last game, the last thing you want is to be down to 10 men after 20 minutes. We did well to get ourselves back in it but you could always see them having too much for us. Ridiculous decison as well. Two yellow cards would have sufficed.
-
Been saying it for some while, even in our winning run we didn't exactly excel. We are boring and ponderous to watch. SB says all the right things but, deep down, don't think he has a clue with modern football and, keeps putting out crap teams like today. Didn't your hearts sink as soon as you saw the line up, mine did. He just seems to pick random teams out of a hat. Worst result for us today was Blose losing as they really need to get something from our match next week and, who better to play when you're desperate for a result!!!
Whilst I really don't want yet another managerial merry go round, sadly SB is not the answer
-
Surely we have to appeal the Kodjia one, I know it's the Villa and the FA will just bend us over as usual but that's never a red for me.
-
Having watched it live I agree that Fulham player should have had a similar card which in my opinion at worst was yellow.
-
Too many crap players. Amavi, Gardner, Elphick, Grealish, Hogan, all hopeless. We're not getting promoted under Bruce, next season or any other.
On the money with my thoughts
-
I agree with you Aftab. The Small Heath game brings the very worst out of the fans. In recent times it has become a hate fest that reflects badly on both clubs. When we play them I have to acknowledge that they exist. I would prefer not to have to.
-
They should have had at least one, possibly two sent off - Fredericks for his deliberate kick on Kodjia, and another one who deliberately elbowed one of ours in midfield. Kodjia was stupid to react so petulantly, but if he gets a red Fredericks has to get one as well. Doesn't hide the fact that they were much better than us and their first goal had been coming for a while, and they were murdering us down their left. Seventy minutes with ten men was always going to be a struggle but bar Grealish's goal we were pretty poor again. Kodjia will be a big miss for us next Sunday - the only game I thought might restore some small consolation in a very poor season.
-
game after game lately we are kidding ourselves that this team is going to get us promoted next season all we are is hoofing the ball up to kodjia he does his bit and its 1-0 and that's the be all and end all of our performances.
theres no purpose no passion no movement no speed.
every team I see at vp or away games has that player that makes there team tick we don't have anyone, best player on the pitch against Norwich was Pritchard against sheff weds was bannan players wanting the ball making there team tick ours should be grealish and he should be moulded into that role because we don't have anyone else who can do it. if not its going to be the limited no movement players that we seem to be sticking by every week.
see ya all sunday
-
Same shit, different day. Pathetic, fast losing patience with Bruce.
-
The red card looked very harsh to me from the couple of angles I've seen...yes, he made movement with his leg towards the Fulham player, but there was no back lift and was in reaction to the Fulhams players arguably intentionally kicking JK during his fall. Very soft red card and was only seen by the fourth official. The club should challenge this decision, but may be declined on the basis of intent.
It was always going to be a struggle to get any kind of result against Fulham, and it became an impossible task with 10 men.
The season is over so let's just hope for a result next weekend against the Blue scum.
Bloody hell, this is how far we have sunk when we don't even expect to get anything against the MIGHTY Fulham, we may as well give up then!
Unfortunately it is how far we have sunk...and I'm clearly not alone in thinking that we would lose today before a ball was even kicked. Similarly the performances, results and league table only serve to show how far we have sunk when we're sat 15 points behind Fulham occupying the last play off spot.
-
Hi Brentford, It's the Villa here. We bought a very expensive Scott Hogan off you in January.
Can someone tell me what you did to make him look like a footballer. Any help would be greatly appreciated as he appears to have stopped working.
He looks fucking shite thus far, any chance of a refund?
Lots of love,
Aston Villa Football Club
-
What did we expect Hogan today?
How many balls into the channel did we play? None. How many cross did we out in? A handful. How close did the useless Gardner and Grealish get to him? Maybe once for the goal.
It was a chronic display and Hogan must be thinking why he bothered moving as we don't try and play to his strengths in the slightest.
-
Bizarre team selection but can only imagine he is vetting what he's got before the summer.
We're playing with less intensity since it became certain couldn't sneak the playoffs and up against sides who are still playing with purpose, you're going to get found out. Bruce had better find a way of dragging a performance out of them next weekend.
-
Surely we have to appeal the Kodjia one, I know it's the Villa and the FA will just bend us over as usual but that's never a red for me.
Sounds like SB will be appealing the decision:
Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce:
"The fourth official asked me four times to step inside my technical area within the first 12 minutes. It was him who gave the decision for Kodjia, and he's missed the first kick at him by the full-back. And that's provoked him.
"We have 3,500 people spending their hard-earned money, it's live on the telly and you never want to see it. They want to see the players perform. It cannot be deemed as violent conduct, surely. I hope the referee looks at it, because the referee didn't give it - the fourth official did."
-
Hi Brentford, It's the Villa here. We bought a very expensive Scott Hogan off you in January.
Can someone tell me what you did to make him look like a footballer. Any help would be greatly appreciated as he appears to have stopped working.
He looks fucking shite thus far, any chance of a refund?
Lots of love,
Aston Villa Football Club
The service to him is slow, lethargic, ponderous and all other impressive words that basically mean shite in football related terms, he thrived off incisive quick balls at Brentford. We did that once today that lead to him being one on one with the keeper, albeit he was slightly off side, then we proceeded to not even attempt it again for the rest of the game. It smacks of signing him because he'd scored goals at this level with no thought on how to get the best out of him once he was here.
-
Lots of work to do in the summer.
-
Hi Brentford, It's the Villa here. We bought a very expensive Scott Hogan off you in January.
Can someone tell me what you did to make him look like a footballer. Any help would be greatly appreciated as he appears to have stopped working.
He looks fucking shite thus far, any chance of a refund?
Lots of love,
Aston Villa Football Club
The service to him is slow, lethargic, ponderous and all other impressive words that basically mean shite in football related terms, he thrived off incisive quick balls at Brentford. We did that once today that lead to him being one on one with the keeper, albeit he was slightly off side, then we proceeded to not even attempt it again for the rest of the game. It smacks of signing him because he'd scored goals at this level with no thought on how to get the best out of him once he was here.
It seems most teams in the league can zip the ball around quickly and have good movement off the ball.
Our players resemble a giant oil tanker struggling to turn around. I see more pace in other players goal celebrations than our players actually during the game.
-
Hi Brentford, It's the Villa here. We bought a very expensive Scott Hogan off you in January.
Can someone tell me what you did to make him look like a footballer. Any help would be greatly appreciated as he appears to have stopped working.
He looks fucking shite thus far, any chance of a refund?
Lots of love,
Aston Villa Football Club
The service to him is slow, lethargic, ponderous and all other impressive words that basically mean shite in football related terms, he thrived off incisive quick balls at Brentford. We did that once today that lead to him being one on one with the keeper, albeit he was slightly off side, then we proceeded to not even attempt it again for the rest of the game. It smacks of signing him because he'd scored goals at this level with no thought on how to get the best out of him once he was here.
The other thing to note is that we are trying to play him in with 30-40 yard passes, rather than 10-20m passes when defenders have far less time to react. That comes from the midfield playing too deep.
-
Our defending at times is painfully embarrassing to watch...out of position, losing their players, not attempting to make a tackle, and then the all too familiar chasing back when they realise that they have fucked up again and the pathetic late attempts to throw their bodies in the way. This is the kind of thing you would expect from Sunday league players not professional footballers. Complete and utter shite.
-
I agree with you Aftab. The Small Heath game brings the very worst out of the fans. In recent times it has become a hate fest that reflects badly on both clubs. When we play them I have to acknowledge that they exist. I would prefer not to have to.
Back from the game. I think we'd have lost even with Kodjia on the field.
No pace and little guile, poor selection and no speed of thought or effective movement.
I agree about the game next week.
Today most of the chanting was about them in the hope they'll go down.
We've slipped so low, that we risk becoming as obsessed as they are and bother more that they're doing worse than us, than focusing on ourselves. It's almost accepting mediocrity.
The fact that that many of the fans will want us to lose at Blackburn says something about where we are.
-
I know that over the last few years it's been bad, but that and Saturday was v poor, is this Aston Villa?
-
Our defending at times is painfully embarrassing to watch...out of position, losing their players, not attempting to make a tackle, and then the all too familiar chasing back when they realise that they have fucked up again and the pathetic late attempts to throw their bodies in the way. This is the kind of thing you would expect from Sunday league players not professional footballers. Complete and utter shite.
If only we had a manager who had been a top class defender and been part of a back four who won 3 league titles, 3 fa cups, a league cup, cup winners cup, 3 charity shields and a super cup
Someone like that could really knock the defence into shape
-
If football worked like that then Tony Adams wouldn't be the laughable, carrot chomping managerial donkey that he is.
-
I agree with you Aftab. The Small Heath game brings the very worst out of the fans. In recent times it has become a hate fest that reflects badly on both clubs. When we play them I have to acknowledge that they exist. I would prefer not to have to.
Back from the game. I think we'd have lost even with Kodjia on the field.
No pace and little guile, poor selection and no speed of thought or effective movement.
I agree about the game next week.
Today most of the chanting was about them in the hope they'll go down.
We've slipped so low, that we risk becoming as obsessed as they are and bother more that they're doing worse than us, than focusing on ourselves. It's almost accepting mediocrity.
The fact that that many of the fans will want us to lose at Blackburn says something about where we are.
Given the pathetic efforts during the last 2 games, I don't think it'll matter whether we want Villa to lose at Blackburn or not. They will.
-
What did we expect Hogan today?
How many balls into the channel did we play? None. How many cross did we out in? A handful. How close did the useless Gardner and Grealish get to him? Maybe once for the goal.
It was a chronic display and Hogan must be thinking why he bothered moving as we don't try and play to his strengths in the slightest.
What's worse for me is he'll start next week as lone frontman and we'll play the exact same balls to him that we would if Kodjia was up there.
And then we'll scratch our heads wondering why we can hardly create anything against a terrible team and why Hogan can't beat three men like Johnny K can.
-
So's not to have a had a completely wasted day i visited Madame Tussauds this morning with my family
Tussauds was great, one or two decent footballers in there too which is more than I saw in our colours on the pitch today
other highlights, John Wayne was a big unit Tom Cruise isn't, Kardashian has a big but Shapley Arse, Kylie looks nothing like Kylie but Morgan Freeman looks dead real
Donald Trump still looks a massive twat no matter what he's been made out of
-
There was probably more movement in the Tussauds footballers.
-
Grealish goal: https://my.mixtape.moe/txdgva.mp4
Only highlight - what a hit.
-
Going back to the sending off, it does make you wonder how the 4th official managed to see what Kodjia did but somehow missed what the Fulham player did which was more obvious. Not only that, he managed to see what the ref and his two linesmen didn't and what took several slow motion replays from different angles on the tellybox. I thought the ref was poor throughout the game to be honest.
-
Grealish goal: https://my.mixtape.moe/txdgva.mp4
Only highlight - what a hit.
I can't wait for his next goal, in November.
-
Didn't they beat us a couple of times when we were finishing 6th under MON?
We've certainly lost the last three or four times I've seen us there. If it wasn't so nice I'd hate going to Fulham.
My son's first game today. I don't think it did the cause much good.
My son's first game was against Fulham. DOL manager, 3-3. Remember telling him when walking through the Park afterwards that not all games are that much fun. Reminded him of it again when as we walked thru the Park this evening. Surprised he was still with me after the shit he has had to endure the last 12 or so years.
-
Going back to the sending off, it does make you wonder how the 4th official managed to see what Kodjia did but somehow missed what the Fulham player did which was more obvious. Not only that, he managed to see what the ref and his two linesmen didn't and what took several slow motion replays from different angles on the tellybox. I thought the ref was poor throughout the game to be honest.
At half time, they said on TV that it was reported as being for stamping on the player. If that is correct, the 4th Official clearly did not see it. It looked to me as though he stopped short of kicking him but his shin made contact with the player as the player grabbed his leg. It looked to be one of those aggressive actions but with no intent to follow it up.
-
I am sure that the decision will be reviewed and the cheating bastard Fulham tart will get a retrospective ban for kicking out.
-
I don't know what to say about any of it to be honest
-
Too many crap players. Amavi, Gardner, Elphick, Grealish, Hogan, all hopeless. We're not getting promoted under Bruce, next season or any other.
Couldn't agree more. Much as I like Bruce as a person, he just doesn't know how to set these players up..the amount of attacking players we have is frightening, yet we continue to plod and grind our way through games on the back foot. He's been in charge for 32 games and our football is just getting no better at all. I'm afraid it won't change until the manager and tactics change. He doesn't know any other way and I'm pretty sure it's affecting the players performances in asking them to carry out roles that they aren't suited for.
We really missed a trick in Rowett, we really did.
It's completely wrong of me to think this way but with the season over, half of me thinks that by losing the few remaining games, the board might have a rethink on him. They must see it surely...
-
What did we expect Hogan today?
How many balls into the channel did we play? None. How many cross did we out in? A handful. How close did the useless Gardner and Grealish get to him? Maybe once for the goal.
It was a chronic display and Hogan must be thinking why he bothered moving as we don't try and play to his strengths in the slightest.
Seemed on tv that Hogan's movement was non existent. Any ball that was played to his feet he lost it immediately. With ten men we badly needed an outball, he was neither a threat in behind nor an option to hold the ball up. Maybe not his game but he really didn't seem bothered today either.
At this stage Hogan doesn't seem a natural partner for Kodjia and certainly not a lone centre forward either. Brentford play a wildly different brand of football than Bruceball, it seems another poorly scouted signing to be honest.
-
Kodjia was unlucky. Their player kicked him first. A yellow each was sufficient. Villa need to appeal this decision.
-
A good day out. Clear run up the M4, a nice stroll along the Thames Path south of the river from Hammersmith to Putney, followed by a nice chat with Dr Butler and Ian. After that I met up with a couple of other friends for the game, said hello to the Head Dave and was also able to have a natter with Joe C at halftime.
Just a shame about the football bit.
-
any appeal for the sending off would have zero chances of being overturned
-
Can't we just win there once, it's tough to convince the boys to support the Villa enough as it is.
Not a red - two yellows. Our players should've been chipping at the ref about this for the rest of the game.
Their second came from a free kick given from a great tackle back by Chester.
Their forward upended our defender in the area and the ref played advantage but never came back to book their guy even though he was ganding out yellows to us like confetti.
Great numbers in away end as ever.
-
Let's look on the bright side. We helped Leeds drop out of the play off zone.
-
Can't we just win there once, it's tough to convince the boys to support the Villa enough as it is.
Not a red - two yellows. Our players should've been chipping at the ref about this for the rest of the game.
Their second came from a free kick given from a great tackle back by Chester.
Their forward upended our defender in the area and the ref played advantage but never came back to book their guy even though he was ganding out yellows to us like confetti.
Great numbers in away end as ever.
Your lads will be badgering you to take them to BHA next season - what with 'em getting promoted. It's amazing how many locals have suddenly started showing what huge Albion fans they are. God knows who most of 'em followed when they were shite... ::)
-
Theres no way it will be over turned, it was a bollocks decision without a doubt but the fact that Kodjia moved his leg is all they need to 'justify' the ban.
-
A good day out. Clear run up the M4, a nice stroll along the Thames Path south of the river from Hammersmith to Putney, followed by a nice chat with Dr Butler and Ian. After that I met up with a couple of other friends for the game, said hello to the Head Dave and was also able to have a natter with Joe C at halftime.
Just a shame about the football bit.
Nice to meet up on Saturday; sorry I was 250+ miles away today, Redsox.
-
Theres no way it will be over turned, it was a bollocks decision without a doubt but the fact that Kodjia moved his leg is all they need to 'justify' the ban.
I agree, but why the Hell did he get involved & give the official(s) a decision to make? As my old Dad used to say (many a time & oft): 'brains of a rocking-horse.
-
Total crap from start to finish,and the ref was a joke. Don't even want to think how much everything cost today to go and watch that crap. O well onto next week....
-
Can't we just win there once, it's tough to convince the boys to support the Villa enough as it is.
Not a red - two yellows. Our players should've been chipping at the ref about this for the rest of the game.
Their second came from a free kick given from a great tackle back by Chester.
Their forward upended our defender in the area and the ref played advantage but never came back to book their guy even though he was ganding out yellows to us like confetti.
Great numbers in away end as ever.
Your lads will be badgering you to take them to BHA next season - what with 'em getting promoted. It's amazing how many locals have suddenly started showing what huge Albion fans they are. God knows who most of 'em followed when they were shite... ::)
I just said the same thing. Loads of cars with Brighton flags in town, some going round beeping like Napoli just win Serie A. Who will they support when their second team comes up against Chelsea, Liverpool, M Utd?
-
Never a red card. Everything else was as per usual.
-
We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.
We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.
It's not good enough.
-
Elphick
Amavi
Richards
Bacuna
Gabby
Kozak
Bjarnason (remember him?)
Johnstone
Gardner
All not good enough, all on our books, leeching money.
-
Must say Fulham were massively improved compared to our home game against them. They were one of the best teams we've played and I'd fancy them in the play offs if they get in there. They're full of energy and pace, the opposite to us basically. They've won their last 3 games 3-1, we haven't scored more than 2 goals in a game since we beat Cardiff 3-1 in November.
-
The last 2 games haven't been good enough in terms of results or style. 2 mega shite periods in the season have killed us. 2017/18 here we come.
-
What did we expect Hogan today?
How many balls into the channel did we play? None. How many cross did we out in? A handful. How close did the useless Gardner and Grealish get to him? Maybe once for the goal.
It was a chronic display and Hogan must be thinking why he bothered moving as we don't try and play to his strengths in the slightest.
Seemed on tv that Hogan's movement was non existent. Any ball that was played to his feet he lost it immediately. With ten men we badly needed an outball, he was neither a threat in behind nor an option to hold the ball up. Maybe not his game but he really didn't seem bothered today either.
At this stage Hogan doesn't seem a natural partner for Kodjia and certainly not a lone centre forward either. Brentford play a wildly different brand of football than Bruceball, it seems another poorly scouted signing to be honest.
I met some Brentford fans on the tube, on their way back from Barnsley. I said how disappointing Hogan has been, including today, and they said, quite reasonably, that if we isolate him he'll have no impact at all. "Why doesn't your Mr Bruce play to his strengths?"
-
That recent winning run of ours shows how poor this league is and yet we still can't manage the top ten..ye gods.
-
I know that in our heart of hearts we all love our Club otherwise we wouldn't spend a small fortune watching us play or spending so much time on here but, I think that, in reality, not many were fooled by our latest winning run and, knew that with our style of play it wouldn't be long until we started losing again. Add to that some of the really weird team selections.
If we were playing good football, looked like certs for promotion, I'd take that anyday than just hoping we will give the Blose a good pasting.
-
We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.
We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.
It's not good enough.
I like Bruce but he's looking increasingly like he's a bit long in the tooth and just serving out a last big pay day. There are too many stupid selection decisions to assume anything else.
Bacuna, Amavi,Gardner, Elphick, saying everything Gabby did last year was in the past, giving Richards time on the field let alone the bench, continuing to leave youngsters out. It's all very baffling.
We will not go up next season.
-
We have no shape, no pace, no rhythm, hardly any skill, no discernible way of playing, and no heart.
We are not getting out of this division for a long time, I'm afraid. A division packed with utterly shit teams and we're lumbered here for the foreseeable - I struggle to think of many performances where we've been the better side.
It's not good enough.
I like Bruce but he's looking increasingly like he's a bit long in the tooth and just serving out a last big pay day. There are too many stupid selection decisions to assume anything else.
Bacuna, Amavi,Gardner, Elphick, saying everything Gabby did last year was in the past, giving Richards time on the field let alone the bench, continuing to leave youngsters out. It's all very baffling.
We will not go up next season.
With Bruce as manger I fear your spot on. It's always two steps forward, two steps back- his selections of the squad players are frankly astonishing.
-
The movement of the Fulham front 3 and the willingness of their fullbacks to get forward killed us.
The red was a bit harsh, they should have either both gone or both warned.
Grealish, great goal aside, was annonimous, as was Amavi.
Grealish either needs to be sold or given game time. Amavi was far from anonymous - he was just awful again (2 games in three days and he is pants).
Lets face it both Reading and Fulham moved the ball at a far greater pace and we have struggled. On saturday I put it down to being on the beach, after today simply not up to it against the better teams in the division. I have been kidding myself as to now I thought we had been under achieving with the players at hand.
-
We have talented players on paper probably the most talented in the division but they look like a team that is lacking direction, Bruce has not gelled this outfit we have players who are being played out of position and there appears to be little cohesion.
I think back to when Jack got his first games in the premiership, he was the one bright light in a dark space, always looking to create something, I see him now a shadow of that player the talent is undoubtedly there you only have to watch the goal to see that but he shows no energy or desire for much of the game. That's what I want from a Villa manager a team that is energised and prepared to fight to the death, I don't see Bruce as that manager I don't see him inspiring players to give their all. He is far to conservative in his approach typical of most of his predecessors there is no excitement only dour grinding football where even a win seems like a loss.
-
I do think playing 2 games in 3 days is difficult when most of the 2nd game is played, probably unjustly, with a man disadvantage. Two of the goals were unfortunate own goals. Having said that, from what I saw, which was only the channel 5 highlights, it all looked very sloppy and Bruce needs to address the "on the beach" attitude.
At least previously the team were battling and fighting for the cause and getting results although not showing much class in doing it. Other teams have done well at this level with few decent players. There is no reason why Villa can't do the same. Passion and desire can move mountains.
-
A derby against our local 'rivals' should be the perfect antidote to any 'On the beach' mentality.
Should.
-
Amavi was terrible defensively but had a really good ten minutes at the start of the 2nd half attacking, but doesn't seem to back himself to burn past his man. Linked up well with Jack for the goal. We couldn;t really see the sending off that well from our end but looked harsh. The ref was awful, didn't book one of their players all game and there were some bad challenges. My 16 yr old pointed out after the first sub that we were now playing with no-one down the LHS and "how can we do that" sure enough their clincher came from a man being completely free out there.
The worst thing about the whole day was that I said to my Fulham supporting boss in the pub it would be 3-1 to them and i didn't put a fiver on it!
I think they'll go up in the play-offs, their movement is terrific.
-
What I fear most is that come the pre-season all things remain the same. There is still no coherent plan on how to get us out of this shite league, the leeches are still with us and Kodjia is on his bike.
Fuck me it's a depressing thought.
-
Depressing but entirely possible.
-
Fulham are a good side with something to play for and had had an additional days rest so the game and result was not really a surprise. On top of that we had to play the majority of the game with ten men and minus our leading scorer. Given those circumstances trying to draw any wider conclusion is pointless.
My conclusions based on the season is that the it was pretty much an impossible job from day 1. There was just too much to change required both on and off the pitch to expect us to put together that level of consistency required, it is an unremitting league with two games most weeks and clubs need a level of stability and doggedness to sustain any sort of challenge. We have shown, at times, an ability to get results against most teams in the division so the hope has to be that next season provides the platform for the durability required to get us up. It seems that those at the top recognise that and is why I feel that those debating change are most likely pissing in the wind.
-
Looks like we're back to square one. The team needs a big overhaul and Bruce is talking about "just a couple of signings'
I'm sorry but we're fucking woeful. There's no pace in the team and no obvious pattern to our play. When you see the movement of Fulham,Brentford,Brighton etc you can see how far we are from being a top two team in this division. They have got an awful lot to sort out in the summer. We need someone with a vision of how to make us play with speed,ability, panache and pride (see Bournemouth's promotion winning side under Eddie Howe) and I really don't think Steve Bruce can deliver that.
-
Looks like we're back to square one. The team needs a big overhaul and Bruce is talking about "just a couple of signings'
I'm sorry but we're fucking woeful. There's no pace in the team and no obvious pattern to our play. When you see the movement of Fulham,Brentford,Brighton etc you can see how far we are from being a top two team in this division. They have got an awful lot to sort out in the summer. We need someone with a vision of how to make us play with speed,ability, panache and pride (see Bournemouth's promotion winning side under Eddie Howe) and I really don't think Steve Bruce can deliver that.
The fact that he has been promoted from this league several times pretty much negates your argument.
-
Agree TE. Not only is there a lack of pace, our players who need to be quick, eg Adomah, Amavi, Bacuna lack the courage to use the limited pace they have by shying out of a physical tussle. One on one they invariably come off second best. A good second best to a really quick player is a pacey one with bottle. Tony Daley being a good example.
-
I think we have 9 players that would be a good in 442 line-up and the same number in a 4231/451 line up... let's hope we can sort it in the summer.
-
Chris, respect but you ignore the reality that people's abilities decline. People lose it. We all do. Time takes its toll.
-
What disappoints me is lack of movement. It seems that once a pass has been made then that's job done, stroll around until next wanted. This isn't just this season, it goes back for several. There are no busy players, running around in midfield asking for the ball and finding space.
-
Papa you just described Rushian Hepburn-Murphy who even when fit gets zero game time.
-
Chris, respect but you ignore the reality that people's abilities decline. People lose it. We all do. Time takes its toll.
To be fair, some of us never had it to lose! :)
-
Me too Auntie but I can dream.
-
Me too Auntie but I can dream.
Amen to that, Brian. Dreaming is free. ;)
-
Me too Auntie but I can dream.
Amen to that, Brian. Dreaming is free. ;)
I'll have a cup of tea
-
Looks like we're back to square one. The team needs a big overhaul and Bruce is talking about "just a couple of signings'
I'm sorry but we're fucking woeful. There's no pace in the team and no obvious pattern to our play. When you see the movement of Fulham,Brentford,Brighton etc you can see how far we are from being a top two team in this division. They have got an awful lot to sort out in the summer. We need someone with a vision of how to make us play with speed,ability, panache and pride (see Bournemouth's promotion winning side under Eddie Howe) and I really don't think Steve Bruce can deliver that.
The fact that he has been promoted from this league several times pretty much negates your argument.
But that was in the past, Bruce hasn't moved on, but the teams in the Championship have, with modern managers.
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
We also have an experienced manager at this level but we are unable to rise above the inept. Why hasn't the manager been able to start to get the players playing as a team over the entire pitch.
-
And if Bruce is moaning about having two games in 48 hours, why on earth did the club agree to the shift from Friday to keep a handful of god botherers happy?
-
I found myself wishing we could play the sort of easy-on-the-eye football that Fulham did. It's disappointing and discouraging that we still don't have any discernible style or pattern to our play. Fulham were all over us even when we had 11 men. We had no prescence in midfield.
We had a spell where we seemed to have more of the ball for about 5 minutes in the first half but that was really discouraging to watch overall. I just want us to play well, not even win necessarily.
-
It's not just Fulham either, Brentford and Barnsley have turned in performances against us, just off the top of my head, that would probably comfortably been our performance of the season if it was the other way round.
We look so disjointed, I wouldn't call it a team because we only defend as a unit together, once the ball is over the half way line we do the same things every time, there is no thinking on their feet.
-
Papa you just described Rushian Hepburn-Murphy who even when fit gets zero game time.
Well in that case Brian, with three games left and only pride to play for, it's an ideal opportunity for the management to play him and see if he can improve things. But I'm not sure they think along those lines. If they change things and make a space available for Sunday then you can guarantee Bacuna will fill it and we'll be back to the same static midfield. Hogan (and Kodjia when available) always seem to have their backs to the opposition goal and they are not that sort of player, that is obvious. They need to be running on to the ball to be effective and that doesn't happen in this set-up.
-
It's disappointing and discouraging that we still don't have any discernible style or pattern to our play
This above all else sums up Bruce's ineptitude when it come to tactics, method and coaching. He has individually the best squad he has ever had at his disposal and cannot figure out a way for them to play.
Even when we were on a run we never looked convincing but we managed to get results.
Considering the news today - Arry will out manage Bruce all day on Sunday
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
I agree it is inept, but where does that place Bruce's Villa team, 15 points off the play-off places?
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
So you think that Fulham Brentford Derby Boro Swansea Reading will be trying to get out of this division with Hoof ball?
-
Kodja's sending off did not help, but it does give Bruce his get out of jail card for a line up that gave Fulham that game from the off, we stay with Brucey boy we will be here for a while, in what Ads describes quite rightly as a inept and crap league, problem being Ads we are showing at this level how inept and crap we are.
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
So you think that Fulham Brentford Derby Boro Swansea Reading will be trying to get out of this division with Hoof ball?
If any of those sides you've named were all that then they wouldn't be in the Championship next season. The poor standard of every team in this division has been a real eye opener for me.
-
Any indication that we'll appeal the red card?
-
Any indication that we'll appeal the red card?
I would imagine that Kodjia is in his Speedos on a beach somewhere already
-
I hate this fixture, even when we won 5-1 I would still rather not play them - ever
Now we go into it with a team that have collectively put their feet up and a Manager without a clue - conversely they have appointed (another footballing dinosaur like to Bruce TBH) but one that if nothing else will have them up for it and motivated
This could go very very wrong
-
Bruce won promotion last year. The games moved on that quickly?
Behave. I watch the football at this level and routinely find myself laughing aloud at how inept it is. I genuinely question how I didn't make it.
So you think that Fulham Brentford Derby Boro Swansea Reading will be trying to get out of this division with Hoof ball?
If any of those sides you've named were all that then they wouldn't be in the Championship next season. The poor standard of every team in this division has been a real eye opener for me.
I agree about the general standard, to get out of this league you have got to be above it.
We look no where near that level and the teams above in my opinion will be a lot closer.
-
The difference between us and Fulham was the neat quick passing, one touch, and running off the ball.
In comparison we look laboured and cautious. Our game plan of getting it up to Kodjia and hoping for the best, was scuppered with the red card.
With Hogan on his own, we need the likes of Lansbury and Hourihane to pick him out.
Our midfield of Gardener, Grealish and Jedinak was too deep.
Let's hope we work on a different game plan before Sunday.
-
It is the ability of opposing teams to have one midfielder who bosses the match . On Saturday it was Tom Cairney who was available all the time and kept the play moving. I was, and still am, hoping that Hourihane can be that player for us.
-
Kodja's sending off did not help, but it does give Bruce his get out of jail card for a line up that gave Fulham that game from the off, we stay with Brucey boy we will be here for a while, in what Ads describes quite rightly as a inept and crap league, problem being Ads we are showing at this level how inept and crap we are.
Indeed. Dr Tone's Glorious 5-year-plan for world domination looks to have gone a tad off-track. I just hope his ambition & willingness to spend comparatively huge amounts of money ensure that Championship Palookaville is a wholly unacceptable state of affairs. The clock is ticking ever louder...