Rapid Vienna 1 - 1 Aston Villa - Post Match Thread

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I have to say I am saddened by the very negative comments about Hogg.
I didnt think we were being particularly overun in the midfield. His job wasnt about making the exciting runs we saw from Albrighton and Bannan, but I do remember some good passes from him and an effective run bringing the ball out of danger late in the game. Just because a player doesnt have a couple of really stand out memorable tackles or passes in a game doesnt mean their overall effectiveness in the game hasnt been there.
But whatever the pros and cons of his performance, statements like "the most anonymous performance I have ever seen" on a young players debut seem harsh in the extreme.

[nick harper]

I think some of the criticism is pretty harsh given the result and the way they stuck at it during difficult periods of the match.

Given it was Davies's first full game for 12 months, he looked pretty rusty but improved as the game went on. Lichaj, Hogg and Bannan showed enough on their debuts to suggest they will be given further opportunities and can be part of the first team squad.

Heskey led the line reasonably but I agree with the comment Dowie made about him lacking the confidence to drive towards the penalty area when he has the opportunity to do so. He simply lacks that aggression and will.

Albrighton was our biggest threat and may well turn out be the summer signing we didn't have to make and I thought NRC led by example even though he too needs games to build up a bit of confidence.

All in all a good result and credit to McDonald for his faith in them considering he would have been heavily criticised had we lost.

[Hookeysmith]

Fuck me - Man U  / Arsenal and co do this all the time and are fawned over in the press and admired by a lot of neutral fans - we do it and all our lot do is pick holes in it

Guzan - for all the concerns i do have over his arial work - boy he is tough as old boots - when he came out and collected the ball and took the players head off was superb - just what you expect froma  keeper

Lijah - positionally he looked what he was - a rookie - given the circumstances not a bad game

Davies - Bye bye  - not good enough

Beye - loaps about but apart from position for goal thought he did ok

Warnock - not sure why he is getting so much grief tbh

Albrighton - does a little too much sometimes but bloody exciting to watch whoever he played for - and to think he is ours!

Hogg - May not have caught the eye as such but no fuck ups either - considering it was he denut he can be very proud, the run out of defence towards the end showed his fitness and his understanding of the game

NRC - after being booked i winced every time he went into a tackle - very good game at what he does best - i think the european refs dont like tackling at all

Downing - started well pinging passes around - then went of the pace - but in 2 games i see more of the real player than last year

Bannan - at times his touch and turns were superb - might have been more effective if the lump could have held the ball and fed him - great movement for the goal

Heskey - I try not to just slag players for the sake of it - but i really cannot see anything he brings to the team or the game - total liability and i looked more like scoring in my living room

Kev Mac - balls, beleif in his own ability and lots of belief in the kids ability - win at the bar codes and no brainer but to give him a go - there is a part of me that thinks he does not want the hassle - hope i am wrong

 

[Dr Butler]

Well done to the team/squad that went out there to play for the Villa, very happy today.

UTV
The Doc

[PaulTheVillan]

Considering the team and the result, I'm happy.

Now let's do the business Sunday

[Clampy]

A fantastic effort by the team that was put out. When i heard the line up on the way home from work, i did fear the worst, so i would have taken that result there and then.

Well done lads.

[andyh]

Happy with result given the team that was put out. I think we can consider that 'job done'.
However, special praise must be given to Emile Heskey.
He really is a model of consistency, and regardless of the opposition, quality of the team around him and playing conditions, you can guarantee that he will put in a performance that is embarrassing, pathetic, toothless and ineffectual.
He really is a waste of space.
 

[JD]

Well done to them all tonight.

Great experience for a few, did the job to put us in a strong position next week. It's very difficult to blood youngsters these days in league games so MacDonald did the right thing by giving them the chance any they took it.

Totally agree Chris. Kevin Mac is giving all an opportunity to show their worth. I can't belive some of the criticism tonight about the team selection and performance.

[Olneythelonely]

Guzan - 5 won't make it at this level at all.
Lee-high - 6 thought he did okay.
Warnock - 4 worse performance in a villa shirt for him
Davies - 3 Pub player
Beye - 4 very poor looked un fit.
Hogg - 8 my man of the match did the simple things right.
NRC - 7 broke up play well.
Albrighton - 8 played will but faded second half
Downing - 6 looks off the pace for me
Bannananana - 7 well taken goal and worked his socks off
He's key - 6 okay just can't shoot!
Fonz - 6 how fast is he really!
Wiemen?
Ozzy?

I don't think Hogg touched the ball.

[PaulTheVillan]

I didn't even realise Hogg was on the pitch.

[Simon Ward]

Great result and for a team made up almost entirely of reserves. Good experience for some of the young lads who may have to step up again at Newcastle on Sunday.

Oh and an excellent away performance in Europe that should set us up to qualify for the group stages.

[john e]

Good result, alright performance with a understrengh team

my only negative is that Downing,

 in a game like that with a sprinkling of youth players and fringe players, and with the opposition as average as rapid, should be a absolute stand out player, head and shoulders above the rest,

showing a bit more quality than the rest, but he doesnt, he just looks as average as anyone else on the pitch,
not sure he's going to up his game this season yet, not sure he can to be honest

[andyh]

Good result, alright performance with a understrengh team

my only negative is that Downing,

 in a game like that with a sprinkling of youth players and fringe players, and with the opposition as average as rapid, should be a absolute stand out player, head and shoulders above the rest,

showing a bit more quality than the rest, but he doesnt, he just looks as average as anyone else on the pitch,
not sure he's going to up his game this season yet, not sure he can to be honest

Come on John, you know thats not fair.
He missed pre season last year with a bad injury didn't he !!! (winky)

[Concrete John]

I think this game showed both the benefits and drawbacks of these sort of mass changes to the side.  We started well and were the better side, which shows the ability is there with these players.  But then a bit of a lucky goal thanks to a back 4 and keeper unused to playing together and we're on the back foot, which is where the experience and strength of the senior players would have been useful.  I've always been an advocate of changing things partly, so that we take 4 or 5 out and bring 4 or 5 in.  Still the result was good enough that we should go through to the group stages.

Thought Heskey was decent and had a hand in our goal.  Albrighton MOM again and some of the Hogg criticism may be a bit uncalled for, but he didn't get on the ball much.  And we looked week and CB - Clark should have played!

For them that Hoffman looked a good player!     

[Ger Regan]

Comments from certain players re Hogg, give him a chance he is a kid

He's 21 though, so not exactly a kid at this stage. I realise he had a bad injury a couple of years ago, but still......