Bolton Wanderers v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[eamonn]

GHou going mental in his interview apparently:

1717: Gerard Houllier is doing his post-match interviews, and it's fair to say the Frenchman is absolutely livid about Aston Villa losing today's game at Bolton. What a week it's been for the Midlands club. What a week's it's been for the Midlands. Unbelievable.

[Holtenderinthesky]

Same old story , 21 points dropped from leading positions now, another 2 goals from corners and again a chance to kill a team off and a missed pen and bang we lose .

Five yrs ago randy came and we began to dream of great days, 5 yrs later we have won nothing, are in a relegation battle , have a manager who has split the fans, have lost our best players , and have record debts.

Bright future?

We also have a fantastic training ground, a wonderful youth academy and have finished in the top 6 3 times.  Add to that the fact that we have come a lot closer to silverware since Lerner arrived than the 5 years before, smashed our transfer record to buy an international striker and have some of the most promising youngsters in the country.

[andyh]

Its March..............IT IS March, isn't it ?

[PeterWithesShin]

It amazes me that some posters here seem to think that Houllier has been here long enough to be praised for the way we try and play football now, and it's all down to him how well we pass the ball at times. But apparently, it's not his fault we can't kill games off or manage basic levels of defending.

As far as i'm concerned, he's manager, he's responsible for what happens on the pitch week after week. Good AND bad.

[luke25]

Every other week we either conceed a late goal, wether it be at the end of the first half or second, conceed from a corner, throw the lead away minutes after we've scored or conceed from a long ball, were so unprofessional its ridiculous, Bolton did'nt win that game, we lost it..... Again

[alan_clarke]

I dont care who you blame for todays defeat but Houlliers post match interview was embarassing!

[olaftab]

Albrighton's goal was class, like. Lovely back heel from Delph, great run and cross from Downing and Marc hit the target. Yeah!

And our manager took both Delph & Albrighton - totally baffled!

Albrighton must have been tired. He played last Saturday and has to play again on March 19th. Now we don't want him to  burn out do we!

[TonyD]

Albrighton's goal was class, like. Lovely back heel from Delph, great run and cross from Downing and Marc hit the target. Yeah!

And our manager took both Delph & Albrighton - totally baffled!

I was baffled by that too.   

[luke25]

The worst thing is we've now got to dwell on the last two debacles for two weeks

[Bottom Right 89]

Don't know why anyone is surprised by today - look at the date! we never win in March and we always struggle at Bolton, add the patched up defence and this was a home banker.

By all accounts sounds like we played well and created chances so on another day we'd have won. If there was one good thing to come out of today its that hopefully our owner and manager took note of Gary Cahills name and will be offloading the next 20million on a decent defender who should never have been allowed to leave Villa Park in the first place. Gary Cahill and Ciaran Clark is the bright future Randy.

Whilst I'm utterly fucked off with what happened in the FA Cup our first team is not that bad we're not going down.

[martyn ellis]

Said it before and I'll say it again, but there's too many on here resorting to personal abuse towards players and the manager. We can all be angry about losing when we should have won - we were absolutely robbed today and played some sparkling football throughout the game. I watched the whole game and we threw it away with some sloppy defending, but some of the stuff we played in attack, we should have been out of sight. Some of the reaction is completely out of order.

[spangley1812]

If Houllier was resting players against Man City - a game that we couldn't win, by his own admission - then why didn't he rest Dunne - our only fit senior central defender? Instead, he risked him in a game we were certain to lose - as Houllier himself confirmed - and he got injured. So we played kids at the back in the next match, because we had no choice, and we got beat. True, we had the chances to win this game and threw them all away, one by one. But the defence just couldn't hack it. I do blame the players, but the manager has to shoulder the blame too. It's his set-up, and we've been unable to defend for the duration of his time here. When's it going to change?

Well said Jimbo and why hasnt he got a defensive coach ?

Also why does he let Ashley Young do what he wants, play where he wants and take all the set pieces

[Villafirst]

Typical Villa conceding at the end of each half! I've lost count of how many times that's happened. Rubs salt in the wounds when Gary Cahill gets two goals.
I have a bad feeling about this season: MON leaving us in the mire from the word go, loads of injuries at vital stages of the season, conceding late goals all the time. The pattern continues and it could yet see us relegated. Collins and Cuellar have to play against Wolves - both should be ready. I would pair Gabby with Bent with Ash and Downing on the wings

I would go:

Friedel
Walker
Clark
Cuellar
Collins
NRC
Makoun
Downing
Bent
A Young
Agbonlahor

Do you agree?

[eastie]

I've spent the last few months defending mr houllier on here but I'm afraid he's made his bed and has to carry the can - friedal has been poor most of the season and I fear now we are in a real battle- whether mr h is the man to inspire his team I have major doubts- dreadful days indeed.

[TonyD]

Same old story , 21 points dropped from leading positions now, another 2 goals from corners and again a chance to kill a team off and a missed pen and bang we lose .

Five yrs ago randy came and we began to dream of great days, 5 yrs later we have won nothing, are in a relegation battle , have a manager who has split the fans, have lost our best players , and have record debts.

Bright future?

We also have a fantastic training ground, a wonderful youth academy and have finished in the top 6 3 times.  Add to that the fact that we have come a lot closer to silverware since Lerner arrived than the 5 years before, smashed our transfer record to buy an international striker and have some of the most promising youngsters in the country.

That's what makes it all the more frustating.