Aston Villa v Arsenal Post-Match Thread

[Edvard Remberg]

Lucky to loose only by 4-2..?

My point being is that heart has all to do. Ireland didn't have any, so did Carew.

When we put our young ones out we played much better - on that basis we should have won (i know individual mistakes etc...)

[Muscle-Dolphin]

I hate to say it, but after today's game I think that we are lucky that Wolverhampton, West Ham and probably either WBA or Wigan are in our league or we might be feeling the relegation heat.

[supertom]

This 4-4-1-1 thing doesn't work for us right now. We need to do a straight up 4-3-3, or a 4-4-2.

Of course, all aside, the squad is so stretched at the moment, that we have to expect a twatting against the likes of Arsenal.

Houllier's ideas are good in principle, but he just doesn't have the squad in place, and will need a season. Trouble is we don't look relegation proof. I'm confident with everyone back though, that we'll be safe. However with our record this season, who's to say how many more players go in and out of the treatment rooms.

Depressing. I might retire from football fandom until January. Urgh.

[PaulWinch again]

Luke Young was once again his normal consistent self.

Barring the awful mix-up for their second.

It was for their first, which makes it worse.

[garyshawsknee]

I really don't see the point of Carew anymore,i know he's just got over an injury,but he just lumbers around fouling and doing nothing else. May as well start with the Fonz,at least he's got a bit of pace to stretch the opponents defence. Can't believe we let them have so much time and space,especially in the first half.

[hawkeye]

Carew Pires Downing Warnock por, A Young frustrating, our defence is pourus,
Clark Bannan were excellent again Ireland Ok when he came on

[Ger Regan]

It was for their first, which makes it worse.

I stand corrected, you're right.

January can't come soon enough. I'd say that plans to hold off on any major investment in the summer might be revised due to our current plight

[Holtenderinthesky]

What is our heaviest ever defeat to SHA?

[brontebilly]

Yikes what to say.

For a start we were set up very badly. Pires was lost, his legs are gone. Maybe ten minutes from time bring him on but not start. We cannot start Carew up front on his own again either. To be honest Id nearly write those two off to the knackers yard. Lets take nothing away from Arsenal. Nasri and in particular Arshavin were mesmeric. Havent seen Rosicky play that well in years either. Bannan was really left looking like a boy today, will have been a tough experience for him but if he wants to make it as a centre midfielder he will have to learn how to win a ball. Our full backs were torn apart. Neither of our centre halves were at their best today but they had zero protection really. Even Clark with his two goals struggled I thought. What Houllier must do is play Downing on the left always. He is hopeless on the right. Thought Ireland was doing well on the right when he came on then ten minutes later he was sort of on the left. That was braindead management. The Fonz provided pace but little else but would prefer his half to Carew's any day. Arsenal were superb going forward but hardly won a header in their own box all day. They need Vermaelen back. Thought Wilshire was quiet enough too.

Friedel 5 - thought he could have done better with two of the goals. One great save aswell it must be said.
L Young 4 - Decent as ever on the ball but Arshavin ran rings around him at times
Collins 4 - struggled with Chamakh's movement and didnt look right
Dunne 5 - left a clean pair of heels for the third goal but our best defender which wasnt saying much today.
Warnock 2 - not to play for the club again. The softest player that I can recall playing for the club. Down injured constantly. He was horrific today. That he makes the England squad is a shocking indictment of the standard of English players at the moment. Must be got rid of in January
Downing 5 - not a right sided player. The combination of L Young and himself is just plain dysfunctional. Another cowardly one in the tackle I'm afraid.
Bannan 3 - a horror show today I'm afraid. Needs to be in a three man midfield. We need Reo Coker and Petrov back pretty soon as I think the lad in sinking at the moment
Clark 6 - Two goals, decent chance of another and almost created one for A Young. Lacks a bit of mobility though but was tidy I thought on the ball.
A Young 5 - poor in first half but gave it a lash in the second anyway which is all we expect from any Villa player
Pires 3 - yikes. what to say. The ease in which the Arsenal defenders ran past him bringing the ball out of defence was striking. Shouldnt start again.
Carew 3 - Not a day to be an incredibly slow out of touch centre forward. Shouldnt start again either.

Delfouneso 5 - brought pace initially and has a very good touch but lost his way a bit as the half went on.
Ireland 6 - actually very decent initially but for some reason found his way onto the left. Another one of our players that is pathetic in the tackle.

Would certainly drop Warnock for the cup tie and bring in Beye at right back. If Gabby if fully fit he must start. Otherwise its the Fonz. Lets take them back to Villa Park anyway. Id drop Bannan too to be fair for lord knows who though.

[Holtenderinthesky]

Would certainly drop Warnock for the cup tie and bring in Beye at right back. If Gabby if fully fit he must start.
Lets take them back to Villa Park anyway.

Take who back?  Blues is a one off game to be decided on the night as always in the LC.

[hawkeye]

GH got the team and tactics badly wong Carew  and Pires too slow meant we were over run in the first half

[Blackcountry Villa]

Take them back to Villa in the cup? It's the Carling Cup. The best we can hope for is a flukey win on penalties.

Liverpool, Man City, Spurs, Chelsea over christmas. We'll be right down there and once you are it's hard to get out. We'll be in a relegation battle whether we like it or not.

[eamonn]

There are no replays in the Carling Cup.
Good post though.

[eamonn]

I hate to say it, but after today's game I think that we are lucky that Wolverhampton, West Ham and probably either WBA or Wigan are in our league or we might be feeling the relegation heat.

I think we're lucky that we're not called Waston Willa or anything else beginning with 'W' like all those other wankers.

Anyway, people go on about our tough fixture list coming up to and over Xmas. We've also got West Brom and Wigan to play, we'll get more points than you think.

[Nev]

Scandalous.

The only word to describe the conduct of Pires in the tunnel before the game.

We're hardly going to stick it up 'em when one of our own players acts like a fuckin' groupie with the opposition.

I'm never one for signing has beens and this particular one can fuck off.