Well I think to a man they performed admirably today. Worst defenders ever? I think you're just creating a subject header to attract posts. Steve Sims & Derek Mountfield or Collins & Dunne...I know which ones I'd have......
All in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another win thrown away due to the lack of consistency of our defenders. It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.I can concede that Dunne has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders, I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's. We can't hold the ball back, it's for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.Obviously it's I that I blame MON for signign two average (but overpaid ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play, play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar. It's a mistery to me.
Quote from: Irish villain on January 02, 2011, 09:25:43 PMVery harsh words...a point at the bridge is a point at the bridge especially given our form of late.I'm not excusing defensive performances of late (and I'm no fan of James Collins) but I thought we did well and can be happy with the way the defence performed overall.With all due respect, praise for the defence has been widespread on this thread and the match thread and yet we conceded three goals and YET AGAIN could not hold a lead til time from the 80th minute. I'm sure the whole nation knew from that point on the one bankable fact was that Villa would concede at least one and would not win. Praise if it's due must go to the forward line who managed three goals in a league game for the 3rd time this season and more than 1 for only the 5th time, and thereby bailed a leaky defence out of another dodgy situation.Great draw and hopefully we'll kick on but if we don't plug the holes we won't.
Very harsh words...a point at the bridge is a point at the bridge especially given our form of late.I'm not excusing defensive performances of late (and I'm no fan of James Collins) but I thought we did well and can be happy with the way the defence performed overall.
All in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another win thrown away due to the lack of consistency of our defenders. It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.I can concede that Dunne has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders, I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's. We can't hold the ball back, it's for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.Did youObviously it's I that I blame MON for signign two average (but overpaid ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play, play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar. It's a mistery to me.
Quote from: Archie on January 02, 2011, 09:01:13 PMAll in all, I'm quite satisfied today, as we risked to lose a game that we'd deserve to win, and that at seven minutes from the treble whistle we were winning.But in the same time I'm pretty disappointed (ok, I'm pi*sed off) for another win thrown away due to the lack of consistency of our defenders. It goes without saying, (GH would say: ça va sans dire ) that I refer to Collins & Dunne.I can concede that Dunne has been less disastrous than usual, but he didn't challenge Drogba in the air in the occasion of their second goal. Even when he plays quite well he makes the crucial mistake that costs us the game.And Collins provoked a ridicolous penalty.The TV commentator said that Dunne & Collins look "pub players", and actually I don't remember a worst pair of central defenders, I think none of them would play in the starting XI of my local team that play in the Italian Serie B.Apart of their defensive blunders, what I can't stand is that every time they intercept the ball, the only thing they can do is belt it clear, absolutely unable to start and create from the back, a kind of play that was out-of-date in the 60's. We can't hold the ball back, it's for this that we are always under pressure and that we have the worst defence of the Premier League.Did youObviously it's I that I blame MON for signign two average (but overpaid ) players like the pair Dunne & Collins, but what I can't understand is how can a continental manager like GH, that like a certain refined style of play, play them instead of the pair Clark - Cuellar. It's a mistery to me.You obviously never saw the likes of George Curtis, Fred Turnbull and Big Dick Edwards etc as we plummeted into the old Third Division. Yes I know I’m an old git but come on.
Archie, you make the mistake of judging their defending by Italian standards.Collins is Welsh, he probably thinks catenaccio is the sound a cat makes when it sneezes
Gross exaggeration. I don't mean to be rude but how long have you been following the Villa if you think our current pairing is the worst ever? Presumably you don't remember the mid 80s for example and such luminaries as Brendan Ormsby, Dean Glover, Steve Foster and Paul Elliott to name but four. Or, forgive me, perhaps you're not old enough to...