Birmingham City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[DeKuip]

I've just noticed the title of this thread. When did Small Heath change their name? Is it a tie in with the uni?

[Rich6by7]

I've just noticed the title of this thread. When did Small Heath change their name? Is it a tie in with the uni?

If it's a tie in with the uni, I'm quitting now, with just one term before I graduate!

I doubt HDE would be too impressed, especially as our sports centre is named after him.

[pauliewalnuts]

Watching these highlights on MOTD, how the fuck did we not win this match?

[Drummond]

Quite. It shows a positive performance at a team who have a very strong home record.

[peter w]

Watching these highlights on MOTD, how the fuck did we not win this match?

see also fulham (a)
              Chelsea (a)
              Bolton (H)
              Tottenham (A)
              Sunderland (H)

also see: table, league.

[pauliewalnuts]

Quite. It shows a positive performance at a team who have a very strong home record.

That's a good point.

We can boo hoo all we want about not winning at Blues, but they're fucking hard to beat at home.

You saw it after they scored today, they became even more defensive, they barely left their own half.

[pauliewalnuts]

Watching these highlights on MOTD, how the fuck did we not win this match?

see also fulham (a)
              Chelsea (a)
              Bolton (H)
              Tottenham (A)
              Sunderland (H)

also see: table, league.

To be honest, I don't think we ever really looked in control against Sunderland. I take your point re the rest, though. Fulham was the best example. We were superb that day, not just good.

[peter w]

Watching these highlights on MOTD, how the fuck did we not win this match?

see also fulham (a)
              Chelsea (a)
              Bolton (H)
              Tottenham (A)
              Sunderland (H)

also see: table, league.

To be honest, I don't think we ever really looked in control against Sunderland. I take your point re the rest, though. Fulham was the best example. We were superb that day, not just good.

and how could I forget: Man U (H)

[Mazrim]

Watching these highlights on MOTD, how the fuck did we not win this match?

Indeed, and by a large margin. Much, much better team.
Sooner or later the luck will change and those half chances will start going in. Especially if we get a top striker in.

[peter w]

Or just stop conceding so many soft bloody goals.

[Mazrim]

Or just stop conceding so many soft bloody goals.

That too.

[Somniloquism]

After watching the highlights again I do wonder what Collins was up to for their goal. He tries to charge out to block the freekick which leaves Johnson going forward unmarked. Surely the defenders should mark the men and the midfielders charge the ball down.

[Tony]

Or just stop conceding so many soft bloody goals.

Absolutely, defensively we've been crap all season, Newcastle away set the alarm bells ringing, we hadn't played that badly in the first half and were three down. We haven't dealt with the defensive problems all season.

[Toronto Villa]

Or just stop conceding so many soft bloody goals.

puts a lot of pressure on the defence if the forwards aren't mscoring mind you. The defence has got better each week, but we still can't score. We need to drastically improve the latter.

[brontebilly]

I know different people see different things about its a game of opinions but two things that I cant understand from the majority of Villa fans on this board.

1) that Bannan must start ahead of Reo Coker and/or Petrov - this is utter madness imo. Bannan is a tidy footballer given time and space but in a two man midfield his total lack of presence is a liability. I cant see him making it as a centre midfielder at this level at all. I thought he contributed next to zero when he came on.

2) that Houllier got it right tactically today. I think this is complete nonsense myself. Whatever stream I was watching had David Pleat as co-commentator. He was practically having kittens at how Downing was playing in no mans land and Gabby out left. Gabby is a terrible wide player. He has no guile or intelligence to play in that position. He cant cross the ball, cant pass. He is up front playing off the last defender or on the bench. What a shocking level of ambition to play him on the left to counter the threat of Stephen Carr!!! While a point isnt a disaster it is only wins that will take us out of trouble. We have a great chance to win that game today. Granted Houllier isnt at fault for the complete lack of form of our strikers but there are some learning points.

1) Petrov cannot play 90 mins centrally in a 442 again.

2) Carew cant play up front by himself again.

3) Downing cannot play anywhere else but on the left again

I watched Man City at the weekend. Granted in the second half they could have scored six or seven but the addition of Dzeko has weakened them in midfield. Silva was dropped surprisingly as I think he is a superb player. Gareth Barry was exposed again in a 442 which was kind of the formation they were playing. Really dont think Barry is good enough for a title chasing side anyway. Yaya Toure is incredibly lazy also. Nigel De Jong was like superman covering for the two of them. I think we need to put three in there against them.

Ive never rated Kolo Toure much, Kevin Doyle had the beating of him easily in the first half but Lescott was absolutely hopeless when introduced. Gave away the penalty and lost Zubar for two set pieces which he scored one and hit the bar with the other. I wasnt overly impressed with their full backs either while Joe Hart isnt in the form he is was in earlier in the year. We might be playing them at a good time.

Delph's injuries are a blow as Id have him in for Petrov if he was fully fit. I think Downing should get the hook with Young to come back out wide only. Heskey up top.

---------------Friedel
Walker, Dunne, Collins, Clark,
 ------Reo Coker, Makoun------
Albrighton-------Petrov---------A Young
----------------Heskey--------------------

Cant see us keeping a clean sheet with the form their forwards are in but I think we are capable of getting a score draw anyway.