Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 06:01:35 PM

Title: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 06:01:35 PM
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/82702964_3361269080567293_3537145150121705472_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ohc=5Tt705CWQXoAX-jfCQH&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=1823e5bb055b960c8b4b3dfa33009d4a&oe=5E98E772)
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Toronto Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:02:58 PM
I’m literally lost for words on how to describe what we watched. We are in so much fucking trouble.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 12, 2020, 06:03:01 PM
Pathetic from all. It gets asked a lot, but what the fuck do they do on the training pitch? Fucking embarrassing.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Zouch Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:03:27 PM
What an amazing comeback....
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 12, 2020, 06:08:23 PM
Party like it's Valentine's Day 2016.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 12, 2020, 06:12:11 PM
They should genuinely donate their wages to charity.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: wince on January 12, 2020, 06:12:51 PM
Posted in match thread but have we. Changed the training staff over years? If so what do we train? We look weak and unfit.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TaxDodger on January 12, 2020, 06:18:05 PM
Disappointed my 9-0 bet didn’t come in
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: kipeye on January 12, 2020, 06:18:59 PM
Great finish. We won the last 10 minutes by a mile.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Toronto Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:19:06 PM
Haha fuck you Charlie Nicholas and your 5-0 prediction.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 12, 2020, 06:19:54 PM
These games just make me sad watching them. Man. City are very good but plenty of poor teams have given them a game on their own turf this season.

Just been like this for the last decade bar the odd result. We were last competitive home and away v top teams in MON era.

Fair play to anyone who paid 50 odd quid for this. I think you're bonkers but that's just me!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 06:19:56 PM
We were fucking shit from start to finish, from 1-11, in the technical area and all across the dugout.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TopDeck113 on January 12, 2020, 06:20:03 PM
We've lulled them into a state of complacency prior to our Wembley date. Job done.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Stu on January 12, 2020, 06:20:06 PM
Man City can do this to most teams. Our team has looked crap for weeks on end now though.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Axl Rose on January 12, 2020, 06:20:28 PM
Hate the majority of our players. Starting to dislike Smith, immensely.

Wank.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TheMalandro on January 12, 2020, 06:20:43 PM
We got away with that one.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Zouch Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:20:55 PM
I think we had the moral victory
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Damo70 on January 12, 2020, 06:21:08 PM
It happened and it was horrible to watch. The players and coaching staff owe us big time now in the massive fixtures against Brighton, Watford and Bournemouth. I can even forgive today if they do the business in those three games.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Jon Crofts on January 12, 2020, 06:22:16 PM
What can you say other than all our chickens have come home to roost.

We have Championship players all over the park.
We have a Championship head coach.
We have a Championship assistant coach
We went into the season with no proven goalscorer at this level.
We brought in Danny Drinkwater & Pepe Raina so far this window.

The owners may have changed but quite honestly they're beginning to look as inept as the last 2.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Clark W Griswold on January 12, 2020, 06:22:45 PM
I’m literally lost for words on how to describe what just gushed out of Dean Smiths arse, but it was very brown and very smelly

Quite.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AsTallAsLions on January 12, 2020, 06:23:35 PM
It happened and it was horrible to watch. The players and coaching staff us us big time now in the massive fixtures against Brighton, Watford and Bournemouth. I can even forgive today if they do the business in those three games.

Well if they don't, we're basically relegated. So it's do or die. Good luck Dean and the boys. Personally I'm yo-yoing between utterly livid and blissfully numb. Odd place to be in.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TopDeck113 on January 12, 2020, 06:25:56 PM
The reality is that City are flat-track bullies and we served them up the flattest of flat tracks. They've done it dozens of times in the Pep era and I doubt we'll be the last. The depressing thing is the season is now panning out like the Premier League campaigns of yore.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: garyshawsknee on January 12, 2020, 06:27:36 PM
Our season won't come down to games against opponents like these, but the impact that this turd of a performance will have regarding our next two huge games is worrying. Those last two encouraging performances against Burnley and Leicester could be wiped out because of today. Everyone connected to that today needs to have a long look at themselves and get themselves right for Brighton.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: ROBBO on January 12, 2020, 06:28:03 PM
Getting Drinkwater a player who cannot get into a poor Burnley side tells the story, I genuinely believe we are planning for relegation now. Trez did more in his cameo than the rest did all game.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 06:28:48 PM
Our season won't come down to games against opponents like these, but the impact that this turd of a performance will have regarding our next two huge games is worrying. Those last two encouraging performances against Burnley and Leicester could be wiped out because of today. Everyone connected to that today needs to have a long look at themselves and get themselves right for Brighton.
Exactly.  Confidence must be at rock bottom.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: lovejoy on January 12, 2020, 06:29:00 PM
So we got 0 points. We need to focus on the next 3. That will have more bearing on survival than whether we lost by 1 or 4 or 8 today.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Three Spires Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:30:27 PM
Very very unhappy to put it mildly. Where is the team from Wednesday? Has Dean & his staff got it in them to go into games like this? We looked beaten from the start 😞
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richrunner on January 12, 2020, 06:30:44 PM
Well that was totally unacceptable. Definate similarities with the 15/16 season. And we fully deserve to be in the bottom 3.

The buck stops with Dean Smith, he picked this team, he knew about the issues (Drinkwater especially) and even when things were falling apart and heads were dropping, there was no change. The guy is totally out of his depth and we need a relegation fight specialist to keep us up now, which Smith is definitely not. He may be Villa through and through but this is a ruthless league and we look utterly weak.

However, there are 6 or 7 players in that team who should really look at themselves in the mirror. Bert and Ernie (Douglas and "Drinkwater") excelled themselves and the other holograms looked way out of their depth.  Man City may be one of the best club teams in the world but we couldnt even pass forward to a team mate, let alone worry them.

Als its downright negligent to be halfway through the season and not even have a recognised striker at the club. The preparation for this season has been borderline amateur.

Extremely worrying, where do we go from here?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brontebilly on January 12, 2020, 06:32:36 PM
1-6 flattered us utterly. After a hard game midweek I thought we were going to be well beaten today, particularly when I saw the team selection, but that was an annihilation of armageddon proportions. Managers do well to survive defeats like that but we urgently need players in to start in the team. Not more past it muck like Drinkwater and Reina.

Real fear this defeat will knock any remaining ounce of self belief from the players. I'm very much in the camp that Drinkwater is a hopeless signing but what chance had he against that City midfield. As debuts go, it doesn't get any worse and crystal clear he is nowhere near fit. The two next to him were nearly as bad, both of them hid and hardly made a tackle. Centre halves either side of Mings were hopeless and their lack of ability on the ball was brutally exposed. Our best wing back left on the bench. Taylor miles out of his depth, Elmo was okish.

Nyland 5, Elmo 5, Konsa 4, Mings 6, Hause 3, Taylor 3, Drinkwater 0, Luiz 2, Hourihane 2, Grealish 5, AEG 5. Nakamba 5, Trez 6, Lansbury 4.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 06:32:44 PM
So we got 0 points. We need to focus on the next 3. That will have more bearing on survival than whether we lost by 1 or 4 or 8 today.

It's gonna take sooo much more than winning, or doing well in those three games in order for us to stay up.   
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Three Spires Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:32:52 PM
So we got 0 points. We need to focus on the next 3. That will have more bearing on survival than whether we lost by 1 or 4 or 8 today.

Of course it matters what we lost by, for a start our goal difference has been battered. Personally I would rather loose 0-1 & put up a performance than what I just saw
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SaddVillan on January 12, 2020, 06:34:19 PM
Smith and his coaching staff need a good bollocking. We're just not performing on so many levels.

No idea what he does with them Monday to Friday, but it's the same shite on the pitch every week.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Drummond on January 12, 2020, 06:35:03 PM
Mistakes all over the park. Completely different to the Leicester match but that's down to the sheer quality of the opponents.

Was utter crap though and hardly a redeeming point at all.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: clash city rocker on January 12, 2020, 06:35:11 PM
That was shocking and a total embarrassment to Aston Villa fc...wont say anymore until I have calmed down but to all the  players and staff involved in today's game you are a disgrace to the  name of Aston Villa.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 06:35:15 PM
I am totally lost for .
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: KRS on January 12, 2020, 06:35:44 PM
Pathetic disgraceful inept performance.

It beggars belief how we still have so many shit players all over the pitch, and our midfield is as weak as piss...and an unfit Drinkwater that hasn’t played for the best part of 2 years just waters it down even more. The decision to throw him in, to sink or swim, against Man City was a brainless decision but even more worrying when the alternative options are the equally shit Nakamba and Lansbury.

The defence is left exposed because the midfield is so poor and they make not having a striker largely irrelevant because the service from them is next to non existent anyway.

We have big problems on and off the pitch, but we have to sign some much better players in this window to give us any chance of staying up.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: malckennedy on January 12, 2020, 06:36:30 PM
Very very unhappy to put it mildly. Where is the team from Wednesday? Has Dean & his staff got it in them to go into games like this? We looked beaten from the start 😞

I think it was a similar (shit) performance to Wednesday but we didn’t get away with it today.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villa Lew on January 12, 2020, 06:37:10 PM
Blimey that was a painful watch, gotta somehow forget today, and put in the type of performances we did against Burnley and Leicester starting with Brighton on Saturday.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: McRusson on January 12, 2020, 06:37:26 PM
A performance that straddled the border between lame and downright unprofessional. It was eye wateringly inept, trap door stuff for sure.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Meanwood Villa on January 12, 2020, 06:37:27 PM
Will make a great story when we beat them in the cup final. Hollywood bidding for story rights.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: WarszaVillan on January 12, 2020, 06:38:04 PM
Once we face them on the large Wembley pitch and can play our expansive football we'll be ok
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 12, 2020, 06:38:49 PM
What can you say other than all our chickens have come home to roost.

We have Championship players all over the park.
We have a Championship head coach.
We have a Championship assistant coach
We went into the season with no proven goalscorer at this level.
We brought in Danny Drinkwater & Pepe Raina so far this window.

The owners may have changed but quite honestly they're beginning to look as inept as the last 2.

Hard to disagree with that. What we do have is Champions League quality fans. Attendances have been fantastic.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on January 12, 2020, 06:39:03 PM
Trez did more in his cameo than the rest did all game.

Not El Ghazi's biggest fan but thought he had a decent game, certainly more involved, putting in a shift and if any one player deserved to score today it was him. Not saying much, granted but that was the only positive I could find today other than maybe Nyland who didn't deserve to concede 6. I certainly don't blame him.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Risso on January 12, 2020, 06:40:16 PM
The way they just walked through us unimpeded for half the goals was utterly unacceptable.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: ktvillan on January 12, 2020, 06:40:50 PM
Positives:

We only lost the second half 2-1
Didn't get any injuries, except to our pride and dignity.
We finally scored a penalty
We may still have a cup final with only Man City to beat.  Oh.

Not so positive:

Back in the relegation places, now below Watford with a worse goal difference.
Luiz - I've seen more useful Brazilians on a fanny.
Drinkwater - looks more off the pace than Luiz.
We continue our tradition of gifting the opposition goals.
Lack of effort, bottle, leadership, clues and ability all round.
Hause and Konsa looked like pub players (copyright C Davis)
We might get to play them again in a Cup final and embarrass ourselves on a global stage.
Everything else.


Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 12, 2020, 06:41:16 PM
Always likely to lose but we have fallen apart tonight and I worry we are going to struggle to come back from this.

They scored 6 but the most fouled player was Jack , says it all we didnt ever get close enough to them to get a foot in.We so badly need a proper physically CM/DCM .We are set up to play nice passing triangles we are always off the pace in games for the most part ( Burnley we were better )

I think again you have to question Smith here , this kind of result has been coming we top the stats for shots conceded against.We allow teams too much time to get in on goal.His Brentford team was the same they have improved since he left and now have best defence in league and challenging for an auto promotion place.

Need a few players in now and some positive results in next 3 games
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 06:41:24 PM
Port Vale had a better plan and put up more fight against them than what we did.

A cowards line up that was, 5-5-0, what the fuck is all that about? Shit himself before a ball was even kicked.

I feel weve wasted weeks and a January window now by sticking with him.

I have no issues losing to Man City, but losing before we have kicked a ball is unnaceptable. The amount of respect shown to them was sickening.

Hes officially lost me after that, I want him 100% gone.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 06:43:11 PM
Positive: We scored a goal.

Negative: Everything else.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 12, 2020, 06:44:13 PM
"Its not football anymore". I don't think Man City sung that with any irony either.

Turns out spending a billion makes you quite good. Struggling for words really and struggling to.get worked up. They did what everybody thought they'd do and perhaps the only thing we learnt was that Reina is a must as Nyland let 3 in I thought he should have stopped.

The first goal, Mahrez just ran in a straight line. Dougie was poor but at least he was involved, Hourihane was his typical anonymous self. I get why he was on the pitch for free kicks, but still. £1.5m against that De Bruyne fella, who if he concentrates and works hard, I think he can make a career out of football.

We didn't know whether to close, press or compress the space. It didn't matter as they moved the ball and themselves so effectively our heads span.

*shrugs*
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 06:44:36 PM
Too many players with half hearted passes, half hearted marking, ambling back and ball watching.  Several opportunities to clear, not taken, all adds to the embarrassment of this terrible defeat, which has left us with a rotten goal difference, camped in the bottom three and has probably sapped any confidence we had from the last two games.  Nyland proved today that he's not good enough at this level, Elmo, Kona, Hause, Hologram, Lansbury, Douglas, Taylor are all mid-table Championship players on the evidence shown this season.  To start Drinkwater, I don't really have a problem with, otherwise, why sign him on loan?  That said, he was awful as well.  Only Mings, Grealish and El Ghazi get anything like an acceptable mark for me today.  Trez came on and did ok, but what did he have to lose?  Awful performance.  No motivation, no organisation, no quality, poor passing. Watching the goals again now and each one was so very badly defended.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: olaftab on January 12, 2020, 06:44:55 PM
We were good in the last two minutes. An insignificant result in the scheme of things. We need to get minimum 4 from next two.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt on January 12, 2020, 06:45:16 PM
What can you say other than all our chickens have come home to roost.

We have Championship players all over the park.
We have a Championship head coach.
We have a Championship assistant coach
We went into the season with no proven goalscorer at this level.
We brought in Danny Drinkwater & Pepe Raina so far this window.

The owners may have changed but quite honestly they're beginning to look as inept as the last 2.

Hard to disagree with that. What we do have is Champions League quality fans. Attendances have been fantastic.

Agree as for the players, only Grealish and Mings are good enough, El Ghazi gave his all out of position. If I never see Hause, Elmohamady, Lansbury, Luiz, Kodjia, Taylor, Konsa and Nakamba again in a Villa shirt it will still be too soon. Time for the owner to really show their ambition and get Pochitino and his people  or they'll be showing they're no better than our manager, coaches and his team of recruiters
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: auntiesledd on January 12, 2020, 06:47:01 PM
Well that went well! 🥴
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brian green on January 12, 2020, 06:48:57 PM
I blame the owners for not taking a tighter grip on Smith and his coaching staff.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: lovejoy on January 12, 2020, 06:49:20 PM
So we got 0 points. We need to focus on the next 3. That will have more bearing on survival than whether we lost by 1 or 4 or 8 today.

Of course it matters what we lost by, for a start our goal difference has been battered. Personally I would rather loose 0-1 & put up a performance than what I just saw

It’s extremely unlikely to come down to goal difference however the next three matches have nine vital points up for grabs.

There is a lot of bed wetting going on.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villatillidie25 on January 12, 2020, 06:49:41 PM
Just a woeful performance. They came out looking beaten and like rabbits in headlights. City were superb but we made it so easy for them. The absolute minimum should be to make it difficult and get in their faces.
Nyland - should have done better with 2.
Drinkwater - absolute waste of space and shocking for 2 goals. My only defence is that he should never have started today and that’s on Dean.
Hause - gave Drinkwater a good run for his money in terms of who was the worst player on the pitch.
Luiz - about as much use as a shadow
Hourihane, Elmo, Taylor, Konsa all proved their nowhere near good enough. Not unduly poor, just simply not good enough
Jack, Mings and el Ghazi were ok.
Thought Trez and Nakamba were lively ish when they came on.
Season won’t be defined today but it certainly doesn’t help. They need 2 forwards minimum in and if they’re going to play 3 at the back then Guilbert and Targett have to start (not that they’re brilliant) and I wonder if we can shoe horn Engels or Chester in ahead of Hause
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 12, 2020, 06:49:55 PM
A Pochitino may have come to villa ten years ago but not now.

We are, yet again, at the arse end of the table in the top flight. He will be waiting on a top four job.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: postal on January 12, 2020, 06:50:13 PM
Positive: We scored a goal.

Negative: Everything else.

To score a pen, you need to be in their pen area, so at least we were there towards the end. Though I guess even ManCity take the foot off the gas at some point.

Well you don't need to be in their pen area, a defender might handball it under no pressure. Even we wouldn't do that... ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 06:51:55 PM
A 3-5-2 with Taylor and Elmo is a 5-3-2, a 5-3-2 with Jack and El-Ghazi is a 5-5-0. Fucking hell what was that line up.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulTheVillan on January 12, 2020, 06:52:03 PM
Pathetic.

Ok, they're light years ahead of us, but we didn't even try.

Starting to worry that Smith isn't up to managing at this level. I really want it to work out, but it's looking more likely that it wont
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 06:53:45 PM
A Pochitino may have come to villa ten years ago but not now.

We are, yet again, at the arse end of the table in the top flight. He will be waiting on a top four job.
In which case we need to find the next Pochettino.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: phantom limb on January 12, 2020, 06:54:00 PM
Positive: We scored a goal.

Negative: Everything else.

Another positive: there wasn’t much traffic leaving the ground, I got home really quick.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 12, 2020, 06:56:13 PM
A Pochitino may have come to villa ten years ago but not now.

We are, yet again, at the arse end of the table in the top flight. He will be waiting on a top four job.
In which case we need to find the next Pochettino.

Indeed, maybe we should have done a Southampton, and got the next Poch, in instead of giving out Nigel Adkins a new contract? It would have been very harsh of course...though the warning signs were there.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 12, 2020, 06:56:37 PM
Freddie is a very good player and I'd have started him, but when you have nobody upfront and it's not out of choice, you struggle.

A few of those there today were struggling 365 days ago at Wigan. You play poorly against that lot, while they play well, the outcome isn't particularly surprising.

We could have pressed better, maybe could have played this player. Reality is, there's no combination of players I'd could pick over the last 25 years that would make me, a positive and optimistic guy, think we could beat that lot. It seems everybody else, including the players felt the same.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Jon Crofts on January 12, 2020, 06:57:13 PM
Pathetic.

Ok, they're light years ahead of us, but we didn't even try.

Starting to worry that Smith isn't up to managing at this level. I really want it to work out, but it's looking more likely that it wont

Starting!  Ha ha good one.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 06:59:00 PM
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/11907297/record-breaker-aguero-helps-city-thrash-villa
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 12, 2020, 06:59:19 PM
Freddie is a very good player and I'd have started him, but when you have nobody upfront and it's not out of choice, you struggle.

A few of those there today were struggling 365 days ago at Wigan. You play poorly against that lot, while they play well, the outcome isn't particularly surprising.

We could have pressed better, maybe could have played this player. Reality is, there's no combination of players I'd could pick over the last 25 years that would make me, a positive and optimistic guy, think we could beat that lot. It seems everybody else, including the players felt the same.

Possibly true to beat them. There’s a huge chasm in between beating them and what we did though.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: wittonwarrior on January 12, 2020, 06:59:31 PM
When you set up for a point at home that’s what follows and anyone questioning Reina coming before the match would certainly have changed their minds surely
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Holte End H on January 12, 2020, 07:00:14 PM
but it's the same shite on the pitch every week.
What do you mean? Our last two performances (where we have played our first team) have been a 1-1 draw away against second in the league and a victory away against Burnley. We haven't been playing like that every week.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: avfcpg on January 12, 2020, 07:01:13 PM
Didn't think we were nailed on to be safe by beating Burnley and don't think we are nailed on to be relegated by losing to the best footballing side in the league (when we are also missing heaton, mcginn and any forward of note).
Next 6 games will be crucial. This was always a free hit and Smith treated it as such I think. We were ok against Liverpool and lost, we were absolutely awful today and lost...meh, move on. But we need a forward to hit the ground running as a bare minimum.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: andyh on January 12, 2020, 07:01:58 PM
Fucking disgraceful.
Obviously took to the pitch shit scared of the opposition.

Firstly Smith. He is massively culpable with his negative, anti football approach.
Then there are individuals. Hourihane, utter, utter piece of useless shit.
Hause, unable to pass a ball.
Luiz, constantly sloppy as a week old babies shit.
I can’t even be bothered to discuss the rest. They were all shit.
BUT, it’s the ‘scared of the opposition’  approach that is worse.

We wanted to be in this league. Why the fuck don’t we approach games like still do?

Oh, and a lack of a striker is not our biggest issue.
We could have Aguero in our team and he would we wasted.

Well,well,well pissed off tonight.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: tomd2103 on January 12, 2020, 07:04:37 PM
Our season won't come down to games against opponents like these, but the impact that this turd of a performance will have regarding our next two huge games is worrying. Those last two encouraging performances against Burnley and Leicester could be wiped out because of today. Everyone connected to that today needs to have a long look at themselves and get themselves right for Brighton.

Hauntingly reminiscent of the hiding Liverpool gave us at home during the relegation season.  If I recall correctly, we had picked up a couple of decent results going into that Liverpool game, but were done and dusted after the thrashing they gave us that day.

Hope that isn't the case with that result today.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 12, 2020, 07:05:24 PM
Didn't think we were nailed on to be safe by beating Burnley and don't think we are nailed on to be relegated by losing to the best footballing side in the league (when we are also missing heaton, mcginn and any forward of note).
Next 6 games will be crucial. This was always a free hit and Smith treated it as such I think. We were ok against Liverpool and lost, we were absolutely awful today and lost...meh, move on. But we need a forward to hit the ground running as a bare minimum.

We have taken 1 point off the top 6 , we are also poor against the teams near the top in the championship under Smith.The problem is then the games against the lower league teams we cant afford to drop any points.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: VILLA MOLE on January 12, 2020, 07:05:56 PM
Telling question on the real effort , how many bookings for foul / tackles today
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Clampy on January 12, 2020, 07:06:15 PM
One to forget and in a hurry as well. It was utterly awful.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: themossman on January 12, 2020, 07:07:11 PM
Hate the majority of our players. Starting to dislike Smith, immensely.

Wank.

Yeah mate that’s where I am although it pains me to admit it. 2015/16 called, it wants its shit club back.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 07:07:28 PM
Dean was very honest with his post match interview but seems to be holding Pitarch responsible, solely, for the signing of players, almost, in my opinion, to be distancing himself from the transfer activity?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 07:09:12 PM
Didn't think we were nailed on to be safe by beating Burnley and don't think we are nailed on to be relegated by losing to the best footballing side in the league (when we are also missing heaton, mcginn and any forward of note).
Next 6 games will be crucial. This was always a free hit and Smith treated it as such I think. We were ok against Liverpool and lost, we were absolutely awful today and lost...meh, move on. But we need a forward to hit the ground running as a bare minimum.
It's not the defeat, it's the manner of the defeat.  No fight, no spirit, no organisation, weird team selection, dismal performances all round and inertia from the bench.  Drinkwater played 78 minutes for pity's sake.  This wasn't a case of Man City turning up and playing like kings, defeating a plucky but ultimately not good enough Villa.  It was them turning up and playing tidily against non-existent opponents.  We're in the relegation zone, Smith shouldn't be treating anything as a free hit.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: RamboandBruno on January 12, 2020, 07:09:26 PM
So we got 0 points. We need to focus on the next 3. That will have more bearing on survival than whether we lost by 1 or 4 or 8 today.

It's gonna take sooo much more than winning, or doing well in those three games in order for us to stay up.

It’s not really, if and it is obviously an if, we beat those 3 teams, we’ll need another couple of wins and draws and we’d be safe.

I thought today would be bad, had none of the enthusiasm that I had before the Liverpool game. But saying that, although city played us if the park, which is fine in itself they are much better, the frustrating thing is 4 of their goals we’re our mistakes. Other than Taylor (the most terrifying thing I saw was De Bruyne running around him), the defence for me wasn’t the problem, it was the middle of the park and the fact we have nothing up front.

Despite this result, the schizophrenia of some of threads, Burnley and Leicester yes c’mon, Man City everything’s shit. The Smith our rhetoric is tedious now, it’s fairly obvious their not getting rid, and even if they did in the next couple of months, the idea of a big hitter coming for a relegation scrap is laughable, so what would that leave, an Allardyce?? I would honestly rather be down in the championship that have that self promoting, dodgy, shit football merchant at the club
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: CT Villan on January 12, 2020, 07:11:06 PM
We were a shambles. Boys versus men (again).

The only ones to come out of that with any credibility were Jack, AEG and Trez. The rest were beyond woeful.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: VILLA MOLE on January 12, 2020, 07:12:22 PM
Look at Southampton lost 9 nil at home a few months back and now look at them , it can soon change it is that tight down there 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 07:12:37 PM
Dean was very honest with his post match interview but seems to be holding Pitarch responsible, solely, for the signing of players, almost, in my opinion, to be distancing himself from the transfer activity?
Blaming someone else you say?  That's a startling development.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: dicedlam on January 12, 2020, 07:13:22 PM
We need to sever the emotional connection to Smith and get rid.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: avfcpg on January 12, 2020, 07:15:21 PM
The manner is which you lose games count for nothing....you get no points for it. We had it against Burnley, we had it against Leicester...I'm not saying we should be happy about it, just a sense of realism. I think I'd be drained watching them lot ping the ball around for 90 minutes like that...in fact I was.

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 12, 2020, 07:15:35 PM
Out of interest anyone pay 50 quid for a ticket today? Attendance was nearly 42k so imagine Upper Trinity was pretty much full.

I assume it wasn't just full of day trippers just wanting to take selfies of Pep and De Bruyne.

I've always said if the club wants to start charging those prices for the top games they need to make sure we've got an 11 on the grass who can go toe to toe with the opposition. That part has been neglected a little bit.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: CT Villan on January 12, 2020, 07:18:15 PM
Maybe they can get a refund under Trade Descriptions Act.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brontebilly on January 12, 2020, 07:22:45 PM
Dean was very honest with his post match interview but seems to be holding Pitarch responsible, solely, for the signing of players, almost, in my opinion, to be distancing himself from the transfer activity?

Is there any chance he threw Pitarch/Drinkwater under a bus today? The thought has crossed my mind, particularly not replacing DD at half time. Starting him was unforgivable really but leaving him on until he nearly keeled over seemed a tad vindictive.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richrunner on January 12, 2020, 07:23:22 PM
Out of interest anyone pay 50 quid for a ticket today? Attendance was nearly 42k so imagine Upper Trinity was pretty much full.

I assume it wasn't just full of day trippers just wanting to take selfies of Pep and De Bruyne.

I've always said if the club wants to start charging those prices for the top games they need to make sure we've got an 11 on the grass who can go toe to toe with the opposition. That part has been neglected a little bit.

There were quite a few daytrippers from where I was sat in the Upper North - where these people come from I have no idea (considering we have a lot of season ticket holders), but it goes with the territory in the PL I guess.

Still, we'll be back to 28k against Rotherham on a Friday night again soon if something drastic isnt done about the situation...
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: andyh on January 12, 2020, 07:26:07 PM
The manner is which you lose games count for nothing...

Stopped reading after that bollocks.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on January 12, 2020, 07:26:29 PM
Never seen so many exit at half-time.Trinity Rd was like full time.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richrunner on January 12, 2020, 07:28:52 PM
Never seen so many exit at half-time.Trinity Rd was like full time.

True...I think people got to 30mins and thought "what's the point". I guess the rest of us (myself included) remained for morbid curiosity...
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: villa `cross the mersey on January 12, 2020, 07:30:10 PM
If we think today was bad .....we've yet to play at Anfield
I have a sneaky suspicion they will be looking to inflict a heavy defeat upon us to avenge our win over their "kids" in the League Cup
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Clark W Griswold on January 12, 2020, 07:31:39 PM
Whilst you couldn’t say any of the central defenders or the goalkeeper had a good game, I don’t think any of them were too bad and I wouldn’t be worried about them in forthcoming games. The last 2 goals were a bit soft but the problem today was that all of the other players except Grealish looked like they’d been picked from the supporters in the crowd. They’ll pick up this week what most of us get in a year yet most of us could have done as well as them today. I’m calling on those 6 starters who know who they are to donate this weeks wages to charity. Fuckwits.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: ez on January 12, 2020, 07:33:14 PM
Man city playing keep ball in our penalty area was difficult to watch.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: john e on January 12, 2020, 07:33:17 PM
The starting line up was the most negative and defensive I can remember
even throughout the Bruce/Lambert/Mcliesh years

This coming from a manager we were told would give it a go everywhere he went
his biggest weakness Brentford fans said was not knowing when not to attack

the line up sends out a statement
And the statement said ‘we’re shit scared of you we’re going to pull our pants down and get let you fuck us all over the pitch’
and that’s what happened

to think we spent £130 mill and we still have Elmo and Taylor and a midfield who literally can’t pass a simple ball to one another

it was horrific

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: andyh on January 12, 2020, 07:34:31 PM
Whilst you couldn’t say any of the central defenders or the goalkeeper had a good game, I don’t think any of them were too bad and I wouldn’t be worried about them in forthcoming games. The last 2 goals were a bit soft but the problem today was that all of the other players except Grealish looked like they’d been picked from the supporters in the crowd. They’ll pick up this week what most of us get in a year yet most of us could have done as well as them today. I’m calling on those 6 starters who know who they are to donate this weeks wages to charity. Fuckwits.
Does one of those 6 begin with hourihane?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 12, 2020, 07:35:21 PM
We got beat 6-1. I dont think giving them more space was the answer myself.

If anybody has a suggestion for how we fixed territory 30 yards further up the pitch, feel free to share it.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 12, 2020, 07:39:16 PM
https://audioboom.com/posts/7476215-dean-smith-post-man-city
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: wince on January 12, 2020, 07:39:48 PM
Watching highlights and we look terrified on the ball
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Legion on January 12, 2020, 07:42:18 PM
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/s960x960/82688300_3361434680550733_3611227176994603008_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ohc=FSpEyz4C-ogAX9mMmkj&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&_nc_tp=1&oh=fb1cb8220e595c0ec25ce5eff1f235ee&oe=5E91EF1B)
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: rougegorge on January 12, 2020, 07:43:15 PM
We had a good performance at Burnley and a gritty one at Leicester, although nothing amazing.

However that was an utter embarrassment, even allowing for the standard of the opposition.

It's worth the management remembering that we were also embarrassing at home to Leicester, terrible at Sheffield, hopeless against Southampton and an embarrassment at Watford.

I don't even know what the tactics were supposed to be, backing off and never pressing anywhere. Coupled with a lack of energy and ineptitude, it was unforgiveable.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Loxton01 on January 12, 2020, 07:44:14 PM
From the lineup to the whole display this was very very disappointing

Observations

Playing Douglas drink water and hourihane gave us zero bite physicality and movement in midfield. They came through this area time and time again.
If ever a game was crying out for marvellous this was the one he isn’t great on the call but least he can get around the pitch and put a tackle in

Hourihane against better teams in the prem is miles away he can’t cover the ground you can’t have a player in the team just in case we get a free kick

Drink water smith says he will improve he better as today he was awful

Smith has to learn from his mistakes I’m still behind him but the team selection today was plain wrong.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Pete3206 on January 12, 2020, 07:47:37 PM
In what universe, do you play a midfield containing Horahane and an even slower player in Drinkwatee against Man City, even allowing for the fact we have no forwards?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 12, 2020, 07:48:47 PM
Jack post match https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1216442553886826496
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bobby Boy on January 12, 2020, 07:49:05 PM
The way they just walked through us unimpeded for half the goals was utterly unacceptable.

Teams waltz through our midfield every game. Hourihane, Liuz, Lansbury, Jota, Nakamba... No tackles, no intensity, no drive, no bite.

Man City have just been the first team to properly exploit our lack of fight in midfield.

On a separate note, our fans were magnificent second half. Spine-tingling defiance.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: DB on January 12, 2020, 07:49:38 PM
I left after the 5th went in. As mentioned, our midfield was absent, no movement or pace and gave the ball away when we did actually have it. No striker is cost us. The transfer policy from the summer has really been shown up over Christmas and now this. Smith has a lot to do to turn them around for next 3 matches. I thought we would a t least have a go, but when I saw our teamsheet, shudder.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SheffieldVillain on January 12, 2020, 07:49:51 PM
In what universe, do you play a midfield containing Horahane and an even slower player in Drinkwatee against Man City, even allowing for the fact we have no forwards?

When the other options are Nakamba who is woefully out of form, and Lansbury who has never been in form?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: BoVillan esq on January 12, 2020, 07:51:13 PM
Horrendous, the transfer window is collapsing around us by the day, we simply haven't gone into the window in a planned way to improve the team, Drinkwater isn't going to do anything to improve squad, there simply isn't a plan to get us out of this very deep hole, in short Smith should go, either by his own determination or the board should step in and say, this is as far as we can go, the terrible thing here is nobody seems to give a flying hoot, seem quite happy to watch the club slide under, do nothing, no question, Aston Villa will be back in the Championship in a few short months. 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richrunner on January 12, 2020, 07:53:04 PM
In what universe, do you play a midfield containing Horahane and an even slower player in Drinkwatee against Man City, even allowing for the fact we have no forwards?

Exactly - the decision to have a player who has played less than 4 matches in the last year, in poor form, dreadfully unfit and low in confidence, man mark probably the most skillful and in-form ballplaying midfielder in the league right now, was bordering on the insane. Dean Smith truly owns this defeat.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithe on January 12, 2020, 07:54:27 PM
Drinkwater played as a man-marker?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SW9-VILLA on January 12, 2020, 07:55:32 PM
Saw Luiz give the ball away so many times in our own half again today. Infuriating.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bobby Boy on January 12, 2020, 07:55:58 PM
Freddie is a very good player and I'd have started him, but when you have nobody upfront and it's not out of choice, you struggle.

A few of those there today were struggling 365 days ago at Wigan. You play poorly against that lot, while they play well, the outcome isn't particularly surprising.

We could have pressed better, maybe could have played this player. Reality is, there's no combination of players I'd could pick over the last 25 years that would make me, a positive and optimistic guy, think we could beat that lot. It seems everybody else, including the players felt the same.

Norwich beat them. Newcastle drew. A starting point is to compete and not perform as if you have no right to be on the same pitch as them.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richrunner on January 12, 2020, 07:56:40 PM
Drinkwater played as a man-marker?

He man marked his own shadow (and passed to it a few times) by the looks of things!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Drummond on January 12, 2020, 07:57:23 PM
Freddie is a very good player and I'd have started him, but when you have nobody upfront and it's not out of choice, you struggle.

A few of those there today were struggling 365 days ago at Wigan. You play poorly against that lot, while they play well, the outcome isn't particularly surprising.

We could have pressed better, maybe could have played this player. Reality is, there's no combination of players I'd could pick over the last 25 years that would make me, a positive and optimistic guy, think we could beat that lot. It seems everybody else, including the players felt the same.

Norwich beat them. Newcastle drew. A starting point is to compete and not perform as if you have no right to be on the same pitch as them.

It's done Norwich a lot of good.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 08:01:24 PM
Dean was very honest with his post match interview but seems to be holding Pitarch responsible, solely, for the signing of players, almost, in my opinion, to be distancing himself from the transfer activity?
Blaming someone else you say?  That's a startling development.

Shows a lack of togetherness, the cracks are starting to open.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: UK Redsox on January 12, 2020, 08:08:10 PM
just about what i suspected. Surprised that Villa got a goal. I was already back at the car by the time it went in
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: JJ-AV on January 12, 2020, 08:08:33 PM
Unacceptable but easily forgotton if we can get 7 from the next 3 league games. Two wins as an absolute minimum, any less than that and I can't see us staying up with our remaining fixtures and lack of quality.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: UK Redsox on January 12, 2020, 08:09:59 PM
Drinkwater played as a man-marker?

Drinkwater’s passing was Westy-esque in its sidewaysness
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 08:10:36 PM
Villa Park is what Ewood Park is when Blackburn were in the Prem. A ground away fans enjoy coming too with the likelyhoodof getting a result.

Also as a side note, what a piss poor plastic club Man City have become. Used to bring proper fans that would explode after each goal. Just polite applause after each goal today, their success over the past decade must make them immune to the pleasures of scoring and winning. Atleast Liverpool, even with the odious media wankathon over them, are a proper fucking club.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: saint13 on January 12, 2020, 08:11:00 PM

We have taken 1 point off the top 6 , we are also poor against the teams near the top in the championship under Smith.The problem is then the games against the lower league teams we cant afford to drop any points.

It is much worse than that we have taken 1 point out of 33 against teams who are currently in the top half...that is a worrying statistic by anyone's standards.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: rougegorge on January 12, 2020, 08:13:20 PM
Unacceptable but easily forgotton if we can get 7 from the next 3 league games. Two wins as an absolute minimum, any less than that and I can't see us staying up with our remaining fixtures and lack of quality.
I agree, although we said that about Southampton, Norwich and Watford and those were mostly shambolic.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 08:16:21 PM
Unacceptable but easily forgotton if we can get 7 from the next 3 league games. Two wins as an absolute minimum, any less than that and I can't see us staying up with our remaining fixtures and lack of quality.
I agree, although we said that about Southampton, Norwich and Watford and those were mostly shambolic.
Yep, it's been said a lot this season.  And that's the problem with writing off games against top clubs: it piles pressure on to the team to get points elsewhere, and at this stage of the season those games are pressurised enough anyway.  Besides, those 'lesser' sides will be thinking exactly the same about us.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 08:17:30 PM
Unacceptable but easily forgotton if we can get 7 from the next 3 league games. Two wins as an absolute minimum, any less than that and I can't see us staying up with our remaining fixtures and lack of quality.
I agree, although we said that about Southampton, Norwich and Watford and those were mostly shambolic.

This is the problem.  Unless we bring in better quality than Drinkwater, then we are going into these games with the same shit we have now, without SJM, Heaton and Wesley.  We need new faces to give the current players a lift, as much as anything.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bermuda Villa on January 12, 2020, 08:17:37 PM
I do wonder how they scout and prepare for upcoming games if Dean thinks this is the team selection to compete against City. That midfield selection was just brainless with 2 defensive minded wing backs and a midfield three with 1 who has virtually not played for 2 years and 2 others are slow and cannot press or tackle. This off the back of doing the same thing against Watford (Just swap Angela for Drinkwater)and we know how that worked out .

Its clear as day to anyone the problem is in midfield and its borne out by the statistics on how many shots we have conceded and how much possession we have. There is acres of space in our midfield and as much time as the opposition want on the ball. At the very least you have to match their workrate and bust a gut to compete and in every game recently (Maybe minus Burnley) we have not done that. 

The worry is Dean has not recognized this nor done anything about it.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: UK Redsox on January 12, 2020, 08:22:29 PM
That handshake with Pep after he was subbed, is as close as Doug will ever get to Man City
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: RamboandBruno on January 12, 2020, 08:23:40 PM
The starting line up was the most negative and defensive I can remember
even throughout the Bruce/Lambert/Mcliesh years

This coming from a manager we were told would give it a go everywhere he went
his biggest weakness Brentford fans said was not knowing when not to attack

the line up sends out a statement
And the statement said ‘we’re shit scared of you we’re going to pull our pants down and get let you fuck us all over the pitch’
and that’s what happened

to think we spent £130 mill and we still have Elmo and Taylor and a midfield who literally can’t pass a simple ball to one another

it was horrific
[/

Firstly how would you of attacked them more with the limited options we have?? Who exactly would you of picked to change the game?? Guilbert should of been in, but that wouldn’t of made all the difference.

Given the game I was at, if smith attacked them more it would of been an even bigger disaster. In fact loads were on here before the Burnley game saying we were too open with 433?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Pete3206 on January 12, 2020, 08:25:07 PM
Good post Bermuda.

Reading page 1 and 2 of the match thread, everyone could see what was coming, based on the midfield selection
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Nev on January 12, 2020, 08:25:16 PM
Games like this will be forgotten if, and it's a big if, we prevail this season. The true horror of a result like this will only hit home if it's the pre-curser to more appaling performances.
I believe we are better than this, the management and players believe it as well I'm sure.
Do not despair, it's not over yet.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: RamboandBruno on January 12, 2020, 08:26:34 PM
I do wonder how they scout and prepare for upcoming games if Dean thinks this is the team selection to compete against City. That midfield selection was just brainless with 2 defensive minded wing backs and a midfield three with 1 who has virtually not played for 2 years and 2 others are slow and cannot press or tackle. This off the back of doing the same thing against Watford (Just swap Angela for Drinkwater)and we know how that worked out .

Its clear as day to anyone the problem is in midfield and its borne out by the statistics on how many shots we have conceded and how much possession we have. There is acres of space in our midfield and as much time as the opposition want on the ball. At the very least you have to match their workrate and bust a gut to compete and in every game recently (Maybe minus Burnley) we have not done that. 

The worry is Dean has not recognized this nor done anything about it.

With the squad we have, who would you of picked instead.

I also probably think we should give drink water more than this game before deciding he’s shit.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: garyfouroaks on January 12, 2020, 08:27:27 PM
Rotherham is a top away.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 08:29:56 PM
With all due respect, we did well at Burnley, but before that, these performances have become all too familiar.  Leicester 1-4, Watford 3-0, Southampton, 1-3, even Norwich, to a degree.  Leicester are a bit on the slide at the minute but we did well defensively there.  We really need some quality through the door, quickly.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: CT on January 12, 2020, 08:33:03 PM
You could tell from the start, our only hope was if City went easy on us.

We literally looked clueless, no idea who should be where or what to do with that hot potato of a football.

Games against Man City may not define our season, the manner of the defeat does. I think we're gone following that. I'm not sure how we come back from it, we gave up, again.

We left at 6-0. I figured if the team had given up, I would too. Bad fan in some eyes, but I'd had a gutsfull of it.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bermuda Villa on January 12, 2020, 08:34:49 PM
Nakamba is a must to start in these sorts of games even though he is not in the best of form. He is the only one who really presses the man in possession.

I would also have played Guilbert as he would have added some support higher up the field. The whole point of playing three central defenders is to let the wing backs get up field and support. By playing Taylor and Elmohamdy you are playing 5 defensive players.

Having said that we need more quality in midfield.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TheMalandro on January 12, 2020, 08:36:33 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Flamingo Lane on January 12, 2020, 08:42:31 PM
We have in this squad two or three excellent players, a number of decent ones, a number of average ones, and a number of not so good ones, sufficient to have scratched a number of wins this season against pretty average teams performing below par themselves.

But now we are consistently turning in performances where we look beaten from virtually the first minute of the game.  Today is the obviously the latest, but recently we have had Watford A, Southampton H, Sheffield United A and Leicester H.

On these occasions, and whatever our starting 11 happens to be, the players on the pitch appear to have a complete lack of belief and confidence in each other.  Sorry to say I don't see us picking up points in the next few games against teams who are going to be right up for it. 

 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: The Edge on January 12, 2020, 08:47:08 PM
.just got in not read any prevoius posts. Fuck me that was embarrasing. I've stuck with him up until now but sorry  Deano you'''ve got to go.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brontebilly on January 12, 2020, 08:47:10 PM
Drinkwater played as a man-marker?

Not really but was the holding one out of the three, Luiz (right) and Hourihane (left). There was yawning space between our backline and midfield that City kept exploiting. Even at Leicester I don't think Drinkwater ever played that role, from what I can recall he played next to Kante with licence to cover ground all over the pitch.

I saw it for Burnley at Xmas against the same opposition and it was abundantly clear that those days for Drinkwater are long long gone. He isn't just not match fit, he is woefully unfit generally. Everything we don't need in midfield and more.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 12, 2020, 08:49:03 PM
Tell you what, though. Them De Bruyne and Aguero chaps, they're a bit good at football. I'm not going to comment on those in claret and blue, they deserve no more of my time or thought today.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: aj2k77 on January 12, 2020, 08:49:35 PM
Fucking rubbish, not even chasing shadows, just jockeying around as they passed the ball through us.

No physicality, no menace, no desire, no competitiveness.

Stop fucking around and get a fucking Striker in. If we fail in these next 3 games it's almost certain we will go down. Get someone in ASAP, ready for them. Drinkwater, everything we expected from a player incapable of getting in the side of fellow strugglers and who hasn't played much in 2 years. A gormless, braindead signing.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Aldridge Villa on January 12, 2020, 08:50:03 PM
Do hope this is our nadir moment , Southampton and Watford appear to have had theirs and I can but hope we respond in a similar vein , but good god we need inspirational signings who must hit the ground running, not convinced signings of such magnitude will materialise.....
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: auntiesledd on January 12, 2020, 08:51:13 PM
You could tell from the start, out only hope was if City went easy on us.

We literally looked clueless, no idea who should be where or what to do with that hot potato of a football.

Games against Man City may not define our season, the manner of the defeat does. I think we're gone following that. I'm not sure how we come back from it, we gave up, again.

We left at 6-0. I figured if the team had given up, I would too. Bad fan in some eyes, but I'd had a gutsfull of it.

Bad fan?! Behave yersel. That pathetic capitulation - you paid good money to witness - would've led to that vast majority of us running for the exits at H/T. I only stayed to suffer the second half in the boozer because a kindly mate bought me another pint! Thank feck I was well on the way to being shitfaced - otherwise I'd have cried &/or belted someone during the rest of the extended aberration. Still, our penalty at the death certainly brought a sense of respectability to the final score.  :o
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: RamboandBruno on January 12, 2020, 08:51:55 PM
Nakamba is a must to start in these sorts of games even though he is not in the best of form. He is the only one who really presses the man in possession.

I would also have played Guilbert as he would have added some support higher up the field. The whole point of playing three central defenders is to let the wing backs get up field and support. By playing Taylor and Elmohamdy you are playing 5 defensive players.

Having said that we need more quality in midfield.

Fair enough.

I think your right about Guilbert, I’m not sure why he keeps leaving him out. Not scapegoating Taylor, but he’s unfortunately not up to this level.

I really thought Nakamba was quality when he first game, but he’s been that poor lately, then again.....lots have. Brighton are decent at home, a point would be a good result
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: nick harper on January 12, 2020, 08:54:20 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.


On top of that our midfield won 4 tackles between them in 90 minutes.

They were however very good at letting City run off them time and time again. Not one tactical foul. City stopped Grealish every time he had an opportunity to run with the ball.

We are naive and soft.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 08:57:07 PM
The whole point of playing three central defenders is to let the wing backs get up field and support. By playing Taylor and Elmohamdy you are playing 5 defensive players.


This with bells on it, the wing backs are critical in a 3-5-2. You need fast, technical, forward thinking players with bags of energy to play these roles, we played two of our slowest players whos first instinct is to always play the ball backwards. Picking Taylor I can kind of forgive in the circumstances but on the other side we absolutely had to have somebody bursting forward to support our attacks and push City back. Picking Elmo there was the worst decision Smith made today. We gave City absolutely nothing to deal with out wide.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: olaftab on January 12, 2020, 08:59:21 PM
Drinkwater played as a man-marker?

He man marked his own shadow (and passed to it a few times) by the looks of things!
Shadow left him dead several times.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 12, 2020, 08:59:40 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.


On top of that our midfield won 4 tackles between them in 90 minutes.

They were however very good at letting City run off them time and time again. Not one tactical foul. City stopped Grealish every time he had an opportunity to run with the ball.

We are naive and soft.

Been the same all season in mf apart from McGinn.We are a soft touch we have no fighters in there at all.

We need a striker because our best way out of this is to play 5 defenders hit it to the striker to hold up or Jack to pass to the striker to score.The cup game was the first goal we have scored that Jack wasn't somehow involved in for weeks.

After this debarcle we need
DCM - Strong not afraid to kick people if need be
Striker
Pacy winger
Another LB would be nice too but likely a step too far at this point 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 12, 2020, 08:59:51 PM
The whole point of playing three central defenders is to let the wing backs get up field and support. By playing Taylor and Elmohamdy you are playing 5 defensive players.


This with bells on it, the wing backs are critical in a 3-5-2. You need fast, technical, forward thinking players with bags of energy to play these roles, we played two of our slowest players whos first instinct is to always play the ball backwards. Picking Taylor I can kind of forgive in the circumstances but on the other side we absolutely had to have somebody bursting forward to support our attacks and push City back. Picking Elmo there was the worst decision Smith made today. We gave City absolutely nothing to deal with out wide.

On top of that, Elmo was fucking awful today.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Richard E on January 12, 2020, 09:00:49 PM
So what was the actual game plan today? How was it supposed to work?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: aj2k77 on January 12, 2020, 09:01:29 PM
Elmo, for fucks sake,he keeps cropping up over and over again. In and out of the team, he's a solid Championship player, solid, not even a good one, yet he still keeps reappearing. It's madness.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 09:02:43 PM
Elmo, for fucks sake,he keeps cropping up over and over again. In and out of the team, he's a solid Championship player, solid, not even a good one, yet he still keeps reappearing. It's madness.

Yep. Same as Taylor, solid Championship left back, not a good one.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Sexual Ealing on January 12, 2020, 09:03:05 PM
If we think today was bad .....we've yet to play at Anfield
I have a sneaky suspicion they will be looking to inflict a heavy defeat upon us to avenge our win over their "kids" in the League Cup

Given that they're currently enjoying the sensation of being the undisputed best team in the world I imagine that it's a stretch to think that they could give a flying fuck about Caribou Cup or indeed Aston Villa.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: villa `cross the mersey on January 12, 2020, 09:08:05 PM
Believe me, they will ;)
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 12, 2020, 09:08:12 PM
1 positive from today, the support 2nd half from the stands was good to see.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: auntiesledd on January 12, 2020, 09:08:50 PM
Tell you what, though. Them De Bruyne and Aguero chaps, they're a bit good at football. I'm not going to comment on those in claret and blue, they deserve no more of my time or thought today.

As brilliant as he is, WTF was Aguero doing when he shoved JG over & started gettin' all arsey & aggro? I was thinking it was a real pity (although not surprising) it wasn't Mings he pushed over - as Tyrone might well have chinned the bugger.

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Flamingo Lane on January 12, 2020, 09:11:38 PM
Thereby missing the next 3 games.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Proposition Joe on January 12, 2020, 09:12:38 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.

It's also not just how often we foul, but when and where we foul. Someone on either the My Old Man Said or Villa View podcast made the excellent point that Smith seems to be a bit too much of a niceguy, do things in the right spirit guy, and you never see us do those cynical fouls higher up the pitch that stop attacks before they become too dangerous.

Man City excel at those.

We tend to commit our fouls either in the box or in a dangerous area nearby.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 12, 2020, 09:24:34 PM
If we think today was bad .....we've yet to play at Anfield
I have a sneaky suspicion they will be looking to inflict a heavy defeat upon us to avenge our win over their "kids" in the League Cup

Given that they're currently enjoying the sensation of being the undisputed best team in the world I imagine that it's a stretch to think that they could give a flying fuck about Caribou Cup or indeed Aston Villa.

It's actually the game they could break the Arsenal 49 Invincibles record so will be a big one for them if they remain unbeaten.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bobby Boy on January 12, 2020, 09:24:49 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.


On top of that our midfield won 4 tackles between them in 90 minutes.

They were however very good at letting City run off them time and time again. Not one tactical foul. City stopped Grealish every time he had an opportunity to run with the ball.

We are naive and soft.

This is very, very true. Liverpool do the same, clever fouls that stop the opponent breaking forward. It happened 4-5 times yesterday at Tottenham.

But this stuff is coached, it's not coming out of nowhere. We're at the bottom and we should be scrapping for our lives doing whatever it takes to avoid the drop. We are instead non-physical and polite. This has to be a failure of the coaching and the mentality that our players go into games with.

Folk on here would have screamed blue murder if Nigel Pearson was ever linked with our Manager job but Christ he has got Watford at it.

Is it too much to expect our team to match the desire and physicality of our opponents?

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: OzVilla on January 12, 2020, 09:26:49 PM
So whose to blame for that?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithe on January 12, 2020, 09:27:41 PM
But we have to remember that last time out we matched the physicality and desire of Burnley.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: richtheholtender on January 12, 2020, 09:28:01 PM
1 positive from today, the support 2nd half from the stands was good to see.



https://mobile.twitter.com/forehead_10/status/1216420358519185410?s=12

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: TonyD on January 12, 2020, 09:28:06 PM
The buck stops with Smith.   
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: aj2k77 on January 12, 2020, 09:29:40 PM
Which isn't good enough to do every other game. There is no excuse to not be physically and mentally at it 95% of the time, you have to be well drilled, focused, no excuses, man up and face up to what is expected and have a game plan drilled in to you. Even if it's simple, it has to be drilled.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 12, 2020, 09:31:21 PM
I’m not sure if it’s correct (Getting my stats from a unreliable Bad English picture)

We fouled five times and they fouled 12.

Obviously not the most important statistic today, but it’s a little damning.


On top of that our midfield won 4 tackles between them in 90 minutes.

They were however very good at letting City run off them time and time again. Not one tactical foul. City stopped Grealish every time he had an opportunity to run with the ball.

We are naive and soft.

This is very, very true. Liverpool do the same, clever fouls that stop the opponent breaking forward. It happened 4-5 times yesterday at Tottenham.

But this stuff is coached, it's not coming out of nowhere. We're at the bottom and we should be scrapping for our lives doing whatever it takes to avoid the drop. We are instead non-physical and polite. This has to be a failure of the coaching and the mentality that our players go into games with.

Folk on here would have screamed blue murder if Nigel Pearson was ever linked with our Manager job but Christ he has got Watford at it.

Is it too much to expect our team to match the desire and physicality of our opponents?



Example of this is Milner  , usually used as a late sub by Liverpool to see out a game and he puts in tackles , gives away fouls and gets booked alot.City today with Fernandinho , 5 nil up and he still took out Grealish and took a card to stop him running past him.

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: KRS on January 12, 2020, 09:40:01 PM
We were clearly playing 541 for most of the second off with Jack on the right and AEG as the only outlet up front. Couldn’t believe what I was watching tbh. We’re an absolute clusterfuck mess of a team at the moment. So much to do...yet so little time or money we can spend to fix it.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 12, 2020, 09:50:18 PM
We were clearly playing 541 for most of the second off with Jack on the right and AEG as the only outlet up front. Couldn’t believe what I was watching tbh. We’re an absolute clusterfuck mess of a team at the moment. So much to do...yet so little time or money we can spend to fix it.

The 5th goal you can clearly see all 5 defenders miles deeper than the MF and all in a line , and they still got passed through and conceded
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: andyh on January 12, 2020, 10:16:22 PM
Hourihane continues to piss me off no end.
Many, many years ago when I first started work I was told never to look like I had nothing to do, always look busy. Even if you haven’t got a specific task, pick up a clipboard and at least look busy.

That’s what Hourihane is. He’s a fucker with a clipboard, fannying about around the pitch but actually doing fuck all.
Jockeying a player, but from 5 yards away, never actually threatening to make a challenge or putting some one under pressure.
Running about a bit but not actually fucking going anywhere.

A fucker with a clipboard....and today he didn’t even bring that.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Marlon From Bearwood on January 12, 2020, 10:23:53 PM
A few positives from today: 

- The first minute of the match. 
- The support from our fans for the last half hour.
- Des Little should’ve saved a few quid by not having to buy everyone a celebratory drink.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 12, 2020, 10:27:42 PM
A few positives from today: 

- The first minute of the match. 
- The support from our fans for the last half hour.
- Des Little should’ve saved a few quid by not having to buy everyone a celebratory drink.

I'm pretty sure Des didn't say he was buying the drinks, he simply invited us to come along.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 12, 2020, 10:28:47 PM
A 'fucker with a clipboard' who has won us at least two games this season.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: D.boy on January 12, 2020, 10:31:43 PM
I have seen some shite performances from us over the last 40+ years but that was one of the most useless.
I don't want to comment further as my blood pressure is rising again.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bent Neilsens Screamer on January 12, 2020, 10:38:06 PM
Southampton turned their season around after getting hammered by Leicester, I’m sure we’ll do the same!! (clutches at straws)
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 12, 2020, 10:44:12 PM
Usually, the only way you achieve something is through believing in it. Nobody believed we could compete today, so we didn't.

You don't accidentally submit K2. You don't accidentally beat Man City.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 10:46:22 PM
Usually, the only way you achieve something is through believing in it. Nobody believed we could compete today, so we didn't.

You don't accidentally submit K2. You don't accidentally beat Man City.
You summit K2 by being very good at what you do and preparing like fuck. 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AV82EC on January 12, 2020, 10:49:19 PM
The best part of the day was spending 3 and a half hours in the Barton’s pre match with cracking food, good beer and good friends. The rest, meh.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 12, 2020, 10:56:54 PM
Usually, the only way you achieve something is through believing in it. Nobody believed we could compete today, so we didn't.

You don't accidentally submit K2. You don't accidentally beat Man City.
You summit K2 by being very good at what you do and preparing like fuck. 

You do. But you must believe in it, otherwise you dont expend the effort. Nothing about today afforded the air of belief. Not in the stands or self evidently on the pitch. I'm not angered as I'm not surprised.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 11:06:09 PM
You do. But you must believe in it, otherwise you dont expend the effort. Nothing about today afforded the air of belief. Not in the stands or self evidently on the pitch. I'm not angered as I'm not surprised.
But I think the belief comes from having the skill and being prepared in the first place though.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Pat McMahon on January 12, 2020, 11:11:03 PM
Usually, the only way you achieve something is through believing in it. Nobody believed we could compete today, so we didn't.

You don't accidentally submit K2. You don't accidentally beat Man City.
You summit K2 by being very good at what you do and preparing like fuck. 

You do. But you must believe in it, otherwise you dont expend the effort. Nothing about today afforded the air of belief. Not in the stands or self evidently on the pitch. I'm not angered as I'm not surprised.

One of my biggest bugbears this season has been our meekness. Compare how Sheffield United consistently snarl and snap at top teams and give them nothing for free. Every player knows exactly what their role is and, just as importantly, they know the roles of their teammates and where they will be. We simply accept that our opponents are better than us and accept our fate.

We haven’t been able to bloody the nose of the best teams since MON left. Even last season we didn’t beat any of the top 4 in our 8 games against  them.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villatillidie1982 on January 12, 2020, 11:23:26 PM
Dean was very honest with his post match interview but seems to be holding Pitarch responsible, solely, for the signing of players, almost, in my opinion, to be distancing himself from the transfer activity?
Blaming someone else you say?  That's a startling development.
Maybe as "Head Coach" rather than Manager, he doesn't have any say in signing players. But that is no excuse for the players being scared of Manchester City this afternoon.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: hilts_coolerking on January 12, 2020, 11:27:30 PM
Maybe as "Head Coach" rather than Manager, he doesn't have any say in signing players. But that is no excuse for the players being scared of Manchester City this afternoon.
He probably doesn't have as much say in it as he might have done at Walsall, for instance, but I imagine he still has a fair bit.  If he has no say at all, it's no wonder we're struggling.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on January 12, 2020, 11:29:11 PM
One of my biggest bugbears this season has been our meekness. Compare how Sheffield United consistently snarl and snap at top teams and give them nothing for free. Every player knows exactly what their role is and, just as importantly, they know the roles of their teammates and where they will be. We simply accept that our opponents are better than us and accept our fate.

We haven’t been able to bloody the nose of the best teams since MON left. Even last season we didn’t beat any of the top 4 in our 8 games against  them.

I honestly believe most teams in the lower leagues nevermind the Championship would have given Man City more of a game than we did today. 'Meekness' summed us up perfectly.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Richard on January 12, 2020, 11:47:40 PM
Really pissed off with that shambles still.

Why no Freddie ?
Why play the wing backs so far back that we surrendered midfield ?
Why play Jack as a wasted second striker in the first half ? Much better to have him drop deeper to support our piss poor CM.
Smith is so stubborn. He even refused to accept that having no forward on the pitch was hindering us.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: aj2k77 on January 12, 2020, 11:50:55 PM
''we were playing Man City, It doesn't take a betting expert to predict we'd be in the bottom 3 today''

Shit attitude to take.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithe on January 12, 2020, 11:53:36 PM
Hmmm, he’s got to have the players thinking they can beat anyone not defeated before they've laced their boots. Even if he’s telling the truth.

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Flin5tone on January 13, 2020, 12:00:50 AM
''we were playing Man City, It doesn't take a betting expert to predict we'd be in the bottom 3 today''

Shit attitude to take.

Did Smith say that?

on top of the nonsense he said on the MOTD this is shocking and worrying , what sort of attitude is that? he needs to go before Brighton
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 13, 2020, 12:08:53 AM
Aguero's reaction to AEG scoring the penalty was quite amusing.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Flin5tone on January 13, 2020, 12:14:31 AM
Aguero's reaction to AEG scoring the penalty was quite amusing.

It was but also shows just how much it means to them and the sort of mentality Pep has installed in them,gutted about conceding when 6 up!

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Hockley Lion on January 13, 2020, 01:30:55 AM
I didn't get to see the game as I was out and I'm not sure I want to after reading this thread.

It must have been really bad!! 13 or so pages and no one's blamed the ref or VAR for anything yet!!!

Hopefully we can bounce back.

Utv.

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LukeJames on January 13, 2020, 01:41:21 AM
I didn't get to see the game

FFS some people get all the fucking luck!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Matt C on January 13, 2020, 04:58:45 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: ChicagoLion on January 13, 2020, 05:00:52 AM
If any one has any idea what the game plan was yesterday please let us know.
What an absolute shambles again and that tackle count is a disgrace.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: frank black on January 13, 2020, 07:08:52 AM
If any one has any idea what the game plan was yesterday please let us know.
What an absolute shambles again and that tackle count is a disgrace.


Same as Leicester but without the saves and committed tackling.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 13, 2020, 07:18:34 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Yes this is it. There’s losing and there’s losing. Dean’s comment along the lines of ‘two in the bottom three were playing and we were playing Manchester City. It doesn’t take a betting man to think we’d be in the bottom 3 after today.’ Whilst there’s obviously truth to that it’s a bloody defeatist attitude. It’s hardly surprising we’re meek and pathetic if the manager thinks like that.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villafirst on January 13, 2020, 07:20:42 AM
Pathetic display.  No physicality and easily brushed off the ball. As for the standard of 'passing' that was an all time low yesterday. The ball retention is shockingly bad and has been for most games lately. Players confidence is shot. And who's stupid idea was it to give Smith a new 4 year deal??
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: alanclare on January 13, 2020, 07:22:10 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Absolutely. That was the general feeling where I was. Villa came on the pitch expecting to be overpowered - and they were, with the commendable exception of Grealish who must have covered more yards than the rest of that supine bunch put together.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: alanclare on January 13, 2020, 07:25:07 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Yes this is it. There’s losing and there’s losing. Dean’s comment along the lines of ‘two in the bottom three were playing and we were playing Manchester City. It doesn’t take a betting man to think we’d be in the bottom 3 after today.’ Whilst there’s obviously truth to that it’s a bloody defeatist attitude. It’s hardly surprising we’re meek and pathetic if the manager thinks like that.
Yes - and, “Their two strikers cost more than our team put together.”
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: mr underhill on January 13, 2020, 07:32:26 AM
Smith's turned to shit and the job is eating him alive. The same applies to the coaching staff and DoF. Two of our last three owners have been/are multi billionaires running huge businesses but they do not know how to run a football club. Total clusterfuck.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Charlie8182 on January 13, 2020, 07:38:46 AM
If we somehow get past Leicester, we play them at Wembley on a bigger pitch, I can’t wait!!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: mr underhill on January 13, 2020, 07:41:32 AM
I thought VP was the same size, but it doesn't really matter. We can't play very well and they can.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villafirst on January 13, 2020, 07:46:25 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Yes this is it. There’s losing and there’s losing. Dean’s comment along the lines of ‘two in the bottom three were playing and we were playing Manchester City. It doesn’t take a betting man to think we’d be in the bottom 3 after today.’ Whilst there’s obviously truth to that it’s a bloody defeatist attitude. It’s hardly surprising we’re meek and pathetic if the manager thinks like that.
Yes - and, “Their two strikers cost more than our team put together.”

Yes, and the team at the bottom beat Man City 3-2!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: VinnieChase84 on January 13, 2020, 08:15:36 AM
When i saw the team sheet and saw Taylor and Elmo i feared the worst!
Hourihane, Taylor, Elmo, Konsa, Nyland, Hause. Not even a top 6 championship team worthy imo
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: RamboandBruno on January 13, 2020, 08:17:05 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Yes this is it. There’s losing and there’s losing. Dean’s comment along the lines of ‘two in the bottom three were playing and we were playing Manchester City. It doesn’t take a betting man to think we’d be in the bottom 3 after today.’ Whilst there’s obviously truth to that it’s a bloody defeatist attitude. It’s hardly surprising we’re meek and pathetic if the manager thinks like that.
Yes - and, “Their two strikers cost more than our team put together.”

Yes, and the team at the bottom beat Man City 3-2!

I get what your saying in terms of a comparison with our collapse yesterday. But a couple of weeks after Norwich bt city, we hammered them 5-1 and they’ve hardly won a game since and are the only team cut adrift. So I’m not really sure how useful those comparisons are at all.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Ads on January 13, 2020, 08:19:44 AM
It was their next home team and the same XI.

You have to compete, close space and make it difficult. Norwich gifted us acreage and we hammered them. We did the same yesterday to a significantly better side and were destroyed.

The chalk and cheese performance between Wednesday's commitment off the ball, in our shape was night and day.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on January 13, 2020, 08:19:53 AM
When i saw the team sheet and saw Taylor and Elmo i feared the worst!
Hourihane, Taylor, Elmo, Konsa, Nyland, Hause. Not even a top 6 championship team worthy imo
This
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Proposition Joe on January 13, 2020, 08:33:18 AM
Regarding meekness, we've always been a soft touch that doesn't really rip up the formbook. And since the decline under Lerner when we've become genuine underdogs, we always lack the necessary bite and work ethic that underdogs need.

It might be to do with the stadium, training complex etc. When players come here it probably feels like a top tier club, which probably in turn influences their attitude.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: john e on January 13, 2020, 08:38:20 AM
When i saw the team sheet and saw Taylor and Elmo i feared the worst!
Hourihane, Taylor, Elmo, Konsa, Nyland, Hause. Not even a top 6 championship team worthy imo

Same

saw that on the way and felt disheartened

Smith seems to have gone from Villa saviour with clear footballing principles to someone who is sucking the life out of the club with his decisions

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: GarTomas on January 13, 2020, 08:39:18 AM
When i saw the team sheet and saw Taylor and Elmo i feared the worst!
Hourihane, Taylor, Elmo, Konsa, Nyland, Hause. Not even a top 6 championship team worthy imo

Good point well made.
We’re recovering from the cluster that the previous regime put together with the Wyness 3 squad nonsense.
We still have Lansbury and Taylor with 18 months left on contracts - 2 players who are widely accepted as mid championship players.
Elmo was given an extension for his experience I think but if we survive he will be replaced hopefully with a player that makes Guilbert a squad player or another prospect to push him.

Konsa was signed for the future, Hause a squad player and Nyland is 3rd choice for a reason.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: The Edge on January 13, 2020, 08:45:41 AM
Yesterday was bloody painful to watch. It smacked of a team that has lost faith in the management. The lack of effort to retrieve the ball when City were playing tippy tappy in our 18 yard box was criminal. Something has got to change, and fast, if we're to going to avoid the drop. I have a gut feeling that they are already planning for next season in the championship. Could be my hangover talking i really hope i'm wrong.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: john e on January 13, 2020, 08:50:33 AM
When i saw the team sheet and saw Taylor and Elmo i feared the worst!
Hourihane, Taylor, Elmo, Konsa, Nyland, Hause. Not even a top 6 championship team worthy imo

Good point well made.
We’re recovering from the cluster that the previous regime put together with the Wyness 3 squad nonsense.
We still have Lansbury and Taylor with 18 months left on contracts - 2 players who are widely accepted as mid championship players.
Elmo was given an extension for his experience I think but if we survive he will be replaced hopefully with a player that makes Guilbert a squad player or another prospect to push him.

Konsa was signed for the future, Hause a squad player and Nyland is 3rd choice for a reason.


problem is you don't recover from a cluster fuck by signing players who cant get in the team because they arn't any better than the ones that put you in the cluster fuck in the first place

Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Luffbralion on January 13, 2020, 08:52:27 AM
Quickly pressed delete on this one.

That match posed so many worrying questions about our physical and mental approach. We showed no toughness or belief. We need to fight like LIONS and show some of the desire and organisation we showed at Leicester.

Is Nyland good enough or does Reina come straight in? How do we sort out the midfield (all of whom were woeful yesterday)? Do we stick with three at the back?  Can we get a decent striker in?

Massive few days coming up.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Clampy on January 13, 2020, 08:53:41 AM
Yesterday was bloody painful to watch. It smacked of a team that has lost faith in the management. The lack of effort to retrieve the ball when City were playing tippy tappy in our 18 yard box was criminal. Something has got to change, and fast, if we're to going to avoid the drop. I have a gut feeling that they are already planning for next season in the championship. Could be my hangover talking i really hope i'm wrong.

You say that but they got a battling draw the other night and would have been three up at Burnley at half time had it not been for VAR. I don't think theres a loss of faith in management personally.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: danno on January 13, 2020, 09:00:49 AM
Yesterday was bloody painful to watch. It smacked of a team that has lost faith in the management. The lack of effort to retrieve the ball when City were playing tippy tappy in our 18 yard box was criminal. Something has got to change, and fast, if we're to going to avoid the drop. I have a gut feeling that they are already planning for next season in the championship. Could be my hangover talking i really hope i'm wrong.

I did wonder aloud a few times (with swearing) if any of the players actually believed in what they'd been asked to do.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: David_Nab on January 13, 2020, 09:05:31 AM
Yesterday was bloody painful to watch. It smacked of a team that has lost faith in the management. The lack of effort to retrieve the ball when City were playing tippy tappy in our 18 yard box was criminal. Something has got to change, and fast, if we're to going to avoid the drop. I have a gut feeling that they are already planning for next season in the championship. Could be my hangover talking i really hope i'm wrong.

You say that but they got a battling draw the other night and would have been three up at Burnley at half time had it not been for VAR. I don't think theres a loss of faith in management personally.

We were decent at Burnley  , the system with Wesley worked well and his injury as had an effect as we now have no focal point but lets not forget Burnley themselves are in shocking form and we stood off them in 2h ,  the Leicester  game we battled well but we hardly had the  ball  ( the running about in that game possibly contributed to how  lethargic we looked yesterday ).

The Fulham game we were poor also.

Have the players lost faith in him , I don't know but he continually when interviewed says they are not doing what they should
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Reuben on January 13, 2020, 09:15:58 AM
The thing is, what's the point of going all at it in the home leg against Leicester if we are just going to have no belief in the final.  Especially if we  are then tired with Bournemouth a few days later.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: darren woolley on January 13, 2020, 09:26:44 AM
They were light years ahead of us it was a lesson that's for sure I stayed until the end but we need to get something at Brighton on Saturday we need points and a performance.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: JUAN PABLO on January 13, 2020, 09:30:36 AM
so reminded me of Feb 14 2016 

lets hope we dont go the same way
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: avfcpg on January 13, 2020, 09:51:59 AM
The manner is which you lose games count for nothing...

Stopped reading after that bollocks.
Remind me how many points you get for effort or being plucky losers again? Completely missed the point haven't you...
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Brend'Watkins on January 13, 2020, 10:04:00 AM
I could see the sense in how we were set up to play against them. What I don’t get is why it involved not laying a glove on anyone of their players. We allowed them to do whatever they wanted to. We lost that game before we set foot on the pitch, probably around the time the fixtures were revealed.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Abbeyfealeavfc on January 13, 2020, 10:07:35 AM
Very poor yesterday! If the set up of the team was designed to contain city it failed. I felt we were always going to lose this game but we lost it in the manner we did because of the midfield and the wing backs. Can't understand why Freddy was dropped. For me the poorest player on the pitch was Luiz. I had no idea where he was playing. He had no idea where he was playing. He was full of mistakes (at least 3 in the first 5 minutes). He offered no support to Elmo, he didn't track runners, if he managed to hold onto the ball he provided no telling pass or link up play. This guy was the 3rd most expensive player in our team yesterday behind Jack and Tyrone but you wouldn't know it. City are laughing themselves to the bank at our expence (£8m for Delph and then us having to pay £15m for Luiz). On yesterday's display he'll never be returning to City. He may come good that's my only hope, but it won't be this season and he is the wrong player to get us out of the predicament we are in. Nakamba for me over Luiz any day!
On a positive the Villa fans who stayed and sang loud and proud through the 2nd half despite the dross on the pitch, was brilliant support and whilst accepting the negative, whinging almost child-like element of some of our support to know we have a core that are claret and blue through and through is brilliant!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: cdward on January 13, 2020, 10:12:23 AM
We have definitely become a team that doesn't foul a lot. Now whilst that is admirable in allowing the game to flow, if it allows your opposition time and space to build up their attacks time and again, it is not working.
It frustrates me how we stand off the opposition so often, in a "come and break us down then" approach. When we should be stepping in to them and forcing them to play.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AsTallAsLions on January 13, 2020, 10:14:10 AM
The thing is, what's the point of going all at it in the home leg against Leicester if we are just going to have no belief in the final.  Especially if we  are then tired with Bournemouth a few days later.

Runners-up medals, I suppose, and the very very tiny narrow chance of more than that. We forget these guys are human beings and they want to contest finals, even if they hardly deserve to be involved in one on the basis of the collective season we've had so far.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: olaftab on January 13, 2020, 10:27:13 AM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Luffbralion on January 13, 2020, 10:28:30 AM
According to MOTD2 we only lost that game by 2.76 to 1.12 expected goals. Clearly, Man City just edged it...
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: stubbsyandy on January 13, 2020, 10:35:22 AM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.

Agreed
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brontebilly on January 13, 2020, 10:35:23 AM
We have definitely become a team that doesn't foul a lot. Now whilst that is admirable in allowing the game to flow, if it allows your opposition time and space to build up their attacks time and again, it is not working.
It frustrates me how we stand off the opposition so often, in a "come and break us down then" approach. When we should be stepping in to them and forcing them to play.

Our midfield three apparently made four tackles yesterday, it's doing the rounds on Twitter.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: VILLA MOLE on January 13, 2020, 10:46:18 AM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.

Agreed


how many bookings for fouls ??
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: danno on January 13, 2020, 10:58:18 AM
Slow witted that I am, it just occurred to me Dean may use this result as an excuse to revert back to his default setting of 4-3-3.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: olaftab on January 13, 2020, 11:07:52 AM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.
Agreed
how many bookings for fouls ??
That was another awful stat. 5 fouls conceded whilst city had 12. Two players booked including one for arguing and not a tackle. We should have fouled them at 25 plus to stop them from playing and had 5+ booked for tackles to be effective.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Luke8 on January 13, 2020, 11:32:40 AM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.
Agreed
how many bookings for fouls ??
That was another awful stat. 5 fouls conceded whilst city had 12. Two players booked including one for arguing and not a tackle. We should have fouled them at 25 plus to stop them from playing and had 5+ booked for tackles to be effective.

That’s not really how it works though. Fouls and bookings are not conducive to good defensive displays. We made loads of both against Leicester in the league and got battered and had only one booking against Liverpool yet put in a good defensive display.

I agree with the wider point about being far too far away from their players though. The midfield in particular were always ahead of their man, which is pretty daft against Man City especially.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 13, 2020, 11:58:29 AM
I can accept the difference in ability. They have better footballers than we do. No shame in that. They are very, very good. As well they should be having spent a decent-sized country’s GDP assembling a team. What I struggle with is the meek surrender. The beaten before we even start, not laying a glove on them, talking ourselves into submission nonsense. Surely there’s more to it than this? 

Absolutely. That was the general feeling where I was. Villa came on the pitch expecting to be overpowered - and they were, with the commendable exception of Grealish who must have covered more yards than the rest of that supine bunch put together.

It's been like that for ages though. We haven't gone toe to toe with the top teams home or away since the MON era and exceptions like Lambert turning into Guardiola every time we played at Anfield.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 13, 2020, 12:00:06 PM
Lambert also got a good home win against Man City, a win away at Arsenal and was robbed by the ref in a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea..
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Bad English on January 13, 2020, 12:00:47 PM
Lambert also got a good home win against Man City.
I thought we were excellent that day.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 13, 2020, 12:02:11 PM
Lambert also got a good home win against Man City.
I thought we were excellent that day.

Very good!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 13, 2020, 12:05:17 PM
Lambert also got a good home win against Man City, a win away at Arsenal and was robbed by the ref in a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea..

We were still rubbish against them all at VP for his near three seasons. We also lost 5-0 at the Emirates the next season. Spurs also started battering us on a regular basis in his tenure.

Our mentality is really poor in these games like we don't believe we deserve to grace the same turf against world superstars.

For me a big barometer will be at home to Spurs in a month. They are awful away having just taken 1 point from aways at Norwich and Southampton. They'll also be missing their best player.

Will we go toe to toe and believe we can get at least a point or will we just stand off them by five yards and then act all surprised when Son or Dele score a couple.

We will hopefully have signed 1-2 players who can actually improve our team by then aswell.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: aj2k77 on January 13, 2020, 12:12:54 PM
As Smith would say ''It doesn't take a betting expert to see we will get dicked by Tottenham''
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: LeeB on January 13, 2020, 12:14:42 PM
The most disappointed thing is that we ran around keeping a decent five yards off city players without bothering to put a tackle in let them know they are in a game. The only time we put a decent tackle in in centre circle we ended up in their box with the resultant penalty. An unbelievably non competitive performance.

The one time Drinkwater went to get tight De Bruyne, he'd gone 5 yards in the opposite direction by the time he got there.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 13, 2020, 12:15:10 PM
As Smith would say ''It doesn't take a betting expert to see we will get dicked by Tottenham''

I can't believe he actually said that. You wonder what on earth his pre match chat to the players said. We looked a beaten team from kick off.

Ultimately to stay up we're going to need a win or two from the Spurs, Man. United, Wolves, Chelsea and Arsenal home games. We saw over xmas period you can't just keep thinking you'll just win the six pointers.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: brian green on January 13, 2020, 12:16:15 PM
I thought that was Reina and Drinkwater.  (our two signings of the window).
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Villan82 on January 13, 2020, 12:25:00 PM
Lambert also got a good home win against Man City, a win away at Arsenal and was robbed by the ref in a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea..

We were still rubbish against them all at VP for his near three seasons. We also lost 5-0 at the Emirates the next season. Spurs also started battering us on a regular basis in his tenure.

Our mentality is really poor in these games like we don't believe we deserve to grace the same turf against world superstars.

For me a big barometer will be at home to Spurs in a month. They are awful away having just taken 1 point from aways at Norwich and Southampton. They'll also be missing their best player.

Will we go toe to toe and believe we can get at least a point or will we just stand off them by five yards and then act all surprised when Son or Dele score a couple.

We will hopefully have signed 1-2 players who can actually improve our team by then aswell.

It was crap under Lambert. Absolute rubbish mostly, and the rot really set in. I'm just saying, bad and all as it was, at least we got the odd good result here and there - something that seems beyond us these days.

Even Sherwood got a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane. We need the odd result like that.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 13, 2020, 12:28:23 PM
We've got a 2-2 this season at Old Trafford. For all Man. United's issues they still have a decent home record this season.

Any team can get the odd result in a season but we need to be doing much better to stay up. Even Bournemouth have taken 7 points from Man. United, Chelsea and Arsenal in last two months. Newcastle got a 2-2 v Man. City just six weeks ago.

Think Burnley are the only other team in the league to hardly take a point from the top teams so hopefully that stays the same for them.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: auntiesledd on January 13, 2020, 12:37:09 PM
We have definitely become a team that doesn't foul a lot. Now whilst that is admirable in allowing the game to flow, if it allows your opposition time and space to build up their attacks time and again, it is not working.
It frustrates me how we stand off the opposition so often, in a "come and break us down then" approach. When we should be stepping in to them and forcing them to play.

Our midfield three apparently made four tackles yesterday, it's doing the rounds on Twitter.

Sounds about right. They looked about as robust as bunch of paper-plated blancmanges on the patio during a hurricane. Or something.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: The Edge on January 13, 2020, 01:06:34 PM
According to MOTD2 we only lost that game by 2.76 to 1.12 expected goals. Clearly, Man City just edged it...
Whenever i see that stat i do wonder what the fuck it means!
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Hookeysmith on January 13, 2020, 01:36:01 PM
Trying to take any positive

This division is tough if you are not on your game - we tonked Norwich 5 at their place and it could have been more so it is always possible
Man City can and do that to a lot of teams - and they do it often as well (they put 6 past Watford in the FA cup final)
Not many teams could have the entire spine missing from the supposed best starting 11 (Heaton / McGinn / Wesley / Davis)

The reality

Fill your team with championship grade players and that is where you will end up
The team selection was defeatist - The complete opposite of what Smith's ethos was when he arrived (same mentality happened to Lambert as well)
Although we obviously need a striker(s) it is the weak midfield combination that need cracking - either with additions or by better utilising what we have via game plan.


Individuals / mentality

Targett - seemingly each time he has a poor game he mysteriously becomes injured - smacks of mental weakness at this level
Taylor - actually looks scared to death when he receives the ball
Hologram - I could see the thought behind him being picked - best chance for a goal was via a deadball - but there is no point if we are not in positions to win any free kicks in dangerous areas. Without them our one trick pony is a no trick pony and actually a liability.

My Anger is saved for one player in particular.

Luiz - you timid, ego centric waste of a space player. half arsed, lazy and as weak as piss in challenges. To cap yesterday off his hand shake of Pep, before he shook his own Managers hand means I never want to see him in the shirt again.
Total fucking billy big bollocks coward - you should not be playing for us so you can forget ever getting into their team


Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Drummond on January 13, 2020, 01:36:38 PM
We played them and got stuffed at their place with Heaton, McGinn and Wesley. We were hardly likely to do any better without them.

But fuck me.

There was no Guilbert or Targett this time either, and we could have done with them in my view.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: dorsetvillian on January 13, 2020, 01:44:21 PM
Just about calmed down after the shambles yesterday. Ended up doing over 10 hours driving to witness such a pathetic performance. The lack of heart, desire and fight was frightening, Compounded by basic mistakes throughout the team.  I just see 15/16 all over again, which is so depressing. I just hope there is a reaction at Brighton.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Risso on January 13, 2020, 01:47:49 PM
We played them and got stuffed at their place with Heaton, McGinn and Wesley. We were hardly likely to do any better without them.

But fuck me.

There was no Guilbert or Targett this time either, and we could have done with them in my view.

I don't understand the thinking in not playing Guilbert.  He's got miles more energy than Elmo, which is what you need from your right/wing back when playing three at the back.  If he was prepared to write the game off by getting Drinkwater up to speed, why didn't he give Guilbert a chance to put some extra practice in in the role?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Drummond on January 13, 2020, 02:01:03 PM
Maybe he just gave up on yesterday. Decided to rest him.

Guardiola said he'd picked Aguero and Jesus because we were playing 5 at the back, how did he know that?
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Luke8 on January 13, 2020, 03:03:25 PM
Just about calmed down after the shambles yesterday. Ended up doing over 10 hours driving to witness such a pathetic performance. The lack of heart, desire and fight was frightening, Compounded by basic mistakes throughout the team.  I just see 15/16 all over again, which is so depressing. I just hope there is a reaction at Brighton.

Yesterday was awful but this isn’t 15/16 - we were bottom of the league and adrift by a mile at this stage already back then.

Doesn’t condone yesterdays performance, but we were terrible at Watford and then reacted with a good performance and win at Burnley so it’s more than possible that we do well in the upcoming games.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Steve67 on January 13, 2020, 07:59:06 PM
Maybe he just gave up on yesterday. Decided to rest him.

Guardiola said he'd picked Aguero and Jesus because we were playing 5 at the back, how did he know that?

Because he's a high quality Manager and reads the game well.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Drummond on January 13, 2020, 08:07:38 PM
Maybe he just gave up on yesterday. Decided to rest him.

Guardiola said he'd picked Aguero and Jesus because we were playing 5 at the back, how did he know that?

Because he's a high quality Manager and reads the game well.

He guessed.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: villa `cross the mersey on January 13, 2020, 08:12:50 PM
Maybe he just gave up on yesterday. Decided to rest him.

Guardiola said he'd picked Aguero and Jesus because we were playing 5 at the back, how did he know that?

Because he's a high quality Manager and reads the game well.

He guessed.
or Luiz sent him a text
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Hookeysmith on January 13, 2020, 08:19:06 PM
Maybe he just gave up on yesterday. Decided to rest him.

Guardiola said he'd picked Aguero and Jesus because we were playing 5 at the back, how did he know that?

Because he's a high quality Manager and reads the game well.

He guessed.
or Luiz sent him a text

As if I would need another reason to really dislike this bloke - I wouldn't be surprised
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 13, 2020, 08:21:58 PM
We played five at the back in our previous league game, which we won. I don't think you'd have needed to consult Nostradamus to speculate that we might do the same again.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 13, 2020, 08:43:49 PM
We played five at the back in our previous league game, which we won. I don't think you'd have needed to consult Nostradamus to speculate that we might do the same again.

I know! Come on, hands up anyone who didn't think we'd play a 5. Anyone.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AsTallAsLions on January 13, 2020, 08:51:43 PM
But it wasn't truly a back five, which was actually part of the problem.

I have no objection to parking the bus if it's done right, but Jesus Christ the defensive tactics yesterday were fucking shite, along with the selection of the full-backs.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 13, 2020, 08:56:41 PM
How was it not a back 5? We had three centre halves and two full backs, neither of which gets picked for their attacking prowess.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AsTallAsLions on January 13, 2020, 09:03:57 PM
How was it not a back 5? We had three centre halves and two full backs, neither of which gets picked for their attacking prowess.

It was a back 3 with Drinkwater intended to float in front of them, Taylor and Elmohamady were deployed as wingbacks and that is why Hause got caught out playing left back for one of the goals. Taylor was nowhere to be seen and the defensive line was a back 3.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 13, 2020, 09:14:46 PM
How was it not a back 5? We had three centre halves and two full backs, neither of which gets picked for their attacking prowess.

It was a back 3 with Drinkwater intended to float in front of them, Taylor and Elmohamady were deployed as wingbacks and that is why Hause got caught out playing left back for one of the goals. Taylor was nowhere to be seen and the defensive line was a back 3.

Ah yes, their decisive sixth.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: paul_e on January 14, 2020, 02:37:32 PM
To be fair Taylor was nowhere near left back for their first either, but that was down to him deciding to make a half arsed attempt to close their defence down in their half and then jog back into position as Mahrez ran into the empty field left in front of him.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Lastfootstamper on January 14, 2020, 03:23:25 PM
To be fair Taylor was nowhere near left back for their first either, but that was down to him deciding to make a half arsed attempt to close their defence down in their half and then jog back into position as Mahrez ran into the empty field left in front of him.

He plays like he has zero self belief. There were 2, possibly 3, points in that run where Mahrez was momentarily checked. The sort of check where at this level he should have had to have at least a fleeting worry that a pursuer might toe it off him. But nothing. Taylor jogged back, all the time leaving a consistent respectful gap between himself and Mahrez.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: Walmley_Villa on January 14, 2020, 03:34:41 PM
I thought Taylor was a fan who had cashed in his Pride Points to have a kick about on the pitch with the players...to be fair he wasn't the only one.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: john e on January 14, 2020, 04:34:53 PM
How was it not a back 5? We had three centre halves and two full backs, neither of which gets picked for their attacking prowess.

It was a back 3 with Drinkwater intended to float in front of them, Taylor and Elmohamady were deployed as wingbacks and that is why Hause got caught out playing left back for one of the goals. Taylor was nowhere to be seen and the defensive line was a back 3.

Taylor and Elmo are wing backs in the same way as I’m a young buff bloke that should be on Love Island tonight
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: London Villan on January 14, 2020, 09:25:32 PM
Man City also set up to drag the wide centre back even further wide or to push the wingback further back exploiting the space - it caused us all sorts of problems in positioning.
Title: Re: Aston Villa Silhouettes vs Manchester City Post-Match Thrashing
Post by: AsTallAsLions on January 14, 2020, 09:26:08 PM
How was it not a back 5? We had three centre halves and two full backs, neither of which gets picked for their attacking prowess.

It was a back 3 with Drinkwater intended to float in front of them, Taylor and Elmohamady were deployed as wingbacks and that is why Hause got caught out playing left back for one of the goals. Taylor was nowhere to be seen and the defensive line was a back 3.

Taylor and Elmo are wing backs in the same way as I’m a young buff bloke that should be on Love Island tonight

Hence the entire point of my original post. The defensive tactics were a fucking shambles.
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