Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Post-Match Thread

[villasjf]

I just hope that all of the things going on or not going on at our club do not tarnish Sid, was more than supprised to see Delph starting ahead of NRC, the future is bright but I am a little worried about the present. So many underperforming players who get (dont earn) more in a week than most of our fans earn in a year.

[Mazrim]

That was extremely annoying and infuriating.
Making that shower look like world beaters when in truth, any team woulve beaten us with such pathetic defending.
Lichaj did alright but we need a new defence on that and recent showing.

I cant believe what's happened to Warnock and Collins.
LOTS of work to do. We really need some transfer wizardry to pull us out of this fucking mess. Nothing less will do.

[villasjf]

Some people are saying we need a bit of luck but if you look at the games we have won under GH we did have luck, Wolves, WBA, and Blackpool could easily have been lost or drawn. Everton battered us to but we got a result. Its just a good job there are some shite teams in the PL this year and stupid chicken farm owners.

[Mazrim]

Inexplicably and more frequently, we are one of those shite teams.

[Chris Smith]

Our last clean sheet was against the Noses on 31st October. Since then we've played 9 and conceded 18, so an average of 2 per game. Until we do something about that all the pretty passing in the world will count for nothing.

I'm giving the manager the benefit of the doubt but he needs to show that he's at least trying to address the issue.

We weren't that bad yesterday but there was an inevitability about it all.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Spurs did exactly what Blues and Liverpool did against us. Sat back and let us have possession, knowing we have no idea as to how to break them down, then make the most of their possession.

We had a lot of possession around their box, in the attacking third if you like, but no one who was willing to take responsibilty, or the risk, of a shot or through ball. Instead we kept playing square, left to right, until we put a cross in, which was a waste of time as we had no height in the box.

Absolutely. The Spurs centre halves must have thought it was Christmas, we made their lives so easy. Nobody was willing to have a shot and we're still failing to get players into the oppostion box. What chance did Gabby have when surrounded by four or five defenders? We defended their lead superbly, getting plenty of bodies behind the ball.

[Ads]

Our last clean sheet was against the Noses on 31st October. Since then we've played 9 and conceded 18, so an average of 2 per game. Until we do something about that all the pretty passing in the world will count for nothing.

I'm giving the manager the benefit of the doubt but he needs to show that he's at least trying to address the issue.

We weren't that bad yesterday but there was an inevitability about it all.

Getting a novelty trebuchet and launching Warnock and Dunne into the next county would be a good start.

I actually think one of the issues has been the younger lads lacking discipline in the middle. I think NRC, who should start given the options available, would shield the back four better than Clarke, Bannan et al.

[Clampy]

I think the majority of us would have been surprised to see Delph on the bench yesterday, never mind starting the game. I was stunned to be honest, and even more stunned to see Hogg alongside him. Whilst in fairness Delph had a good game considering how long he's been out, it would have been much better for an old head like NRC to be alongside him. Two 19 year olds against their midfield was a bit unwise.

Pires did'nt do a fat lot wrong when he came on, but Bannan would have been a better choice. As for Warnock, he's fast becoming one of the worst left backs i've seen down there. Lichaj on the other hand looked good. Ok, Bale got by him a few times which was to be expected, but he did a half decent job on him overall.

Chris summed it up really though, it was all a bit inevitable. I'll be at Man City tomorrow and to be honest, it could be a bit messy.

[Bosco81]

Felt sorry for Hogg when he was called up for that first foul when he took ball first then the man, he was always a few yards off the pace after that.

Couldn't see the point in bringing Pires on especially with Bannan on the bench to offer a few more forward passes.

I don't get what Houllier is trying to do, more passing ? But then when the chips are down stick the centre half up front.

His team selection tomorrow will make interesting reading now we are getting a few more back, I just hope the likes of Bannan don't get bombed out completely.

We need a lot more from Gabby that's for certain.

[Irish villain]

Now that I've calmed down and slept on it and thought it all through I can honestly say I feel an awful lot worse today than I did last night.

Where is the next win coming from? Who can we sign in January that can help us stay up? Can these players show the recquired survival skills needed to stay up?

I'm worried as hell.

[supertom]

How many games did we win under Martin O Neill by soaking up pressure, breaking and nicking a goal here or there? Quite a lot. I remember the 4-5-1 period in late 08 (?) when we went on that great run of results. Gab up top on his own, and balanced CM (even Sidwell played his part). The funny thing was, we never actually controlled a game, or played particularly well, but we absolutely robbed a few teams. We countered effectively (infamous Everton game, Hull, and a really deserved spanking dished out at the Emirates), and we looked dangerous, and we had some sort of a cutting edge, and took the chances we had.

It's how we should be playing now but don't. It's how Houllier set his Liverpool side up to play.

All this possession play in the middle is well and good, but we're only "trying" to do it. We don't really have the quality of players to do it well enough. Nor do we have a creative spark in the final third who makes something out of nothing, like Merson could. We may keep the ball better but you look at the stats in most games, and I think on the whole, the opposition probably still get the lions share of possession. Spurs had 60-40 in their favour first half. We improved 2nd half when the 10 men factor took it's toll (not that we created much). It's not working, it's cumbersome, and we've not the defence to keep the opposition out of our net.

Spurs 2nd goal was pretty much prime example of O Neills style at it's best, with an added dash of technical ability.

I'd absolutely love to have Modric and VDV  in our side. What a pair of class players, especially VDV, who is far too good to be a Spurs player.

I've yet to see us genuinely control a match under Houllier. We've had a couple of games where we played well, like Utd, but mostly, we've looked clueless and results have reflected that. Our wins, as mentioned, were all actually quite fortunate. The Blackburn game summed it up for me quite frighteningly. A piss poor side had it very easy against us. We had more possession and played it around fairly well in the middle third (who fucking cares?) but we created almost nothing, and in the end they were well worthy of their 2-0 win, and could have had more. With all due respect, last season, that probably wouldn't have happened.

I for one also don't see where the next win will come from. It's worrying. We need an inspirational signing to really pull us up by the scruff of the neck. Someone mercurial who wants a chance to shine at this level. Ash has always flitted with being this but always fallen short, and it now looks like he's gonna leave. We miss Milner so much. That barnstorming sort of player in a key area, who gave us a 7-8/10 every week. Scored goals, made goals.

I have no problems with the kids. I take great pride in seeing them step up and largely, out perform their senior counterparts. Frankly some of O Neills oldies should be fucking ashamed by their form, and their effort. 

[Pete3206]

Agree with all of that apart from VDV being too good for Spurs. He's gone to an ambitious club.

[Dr_Fegg]

Still havent fully calmed down. Agree on Lihaj fantastic game and one to keep.

Also feel a little sorry for Warnock (bear with me), any villa RB has someone in front of them prepared to get involved and put either a tackle or a challenge in and warnock has downing - great on his day and very pretty left foot but ask him to dig in and what do you get.....
He went hiding again yesterday, anyone see when he tried to "tackle" sideways on in the first half, unbelieveably shite. Also notice how he goes missing in big games and takes up positions where he knows he wont get a pass, or points for it to go somewhere else.

Flat track bully no more. If we're going to play him it can only be in a 5 man midfield with a licence to roam and put NRC back in to shore up the defence.

[barrysleftfoot]

   Not quite sure why Warnock got the blame for the 1st goal, it was Downings man who crossed the ball, and Collins yet again failed to defend the near post properly.

  Why was he so far in front of the near post, why was Cuellar left with 2 men to mark.

  Collins keeps making mistakes at the moment, and is a liability, drop him.

  Considering who he was marking, i did'nt think that Warnock had a bad game yday, but i suppose he is the latest scapegoat.


 

[villa1]

Exactly right BLF.

The chap in front of me blames Warnock for everything. I think he's just heard the flack he gets and jumped on the bandwagon.

Downing let the full back go yesterday. Warnock had the player he was marking (bollocks was he too narrow - the player he had picked up was the immediate danger) and then had to try to get out to Hutton when it was played to him.