Barclays Asia Trophy (27th-30th July 2011)

[eastie]

very difficult in these conditions to up the tempo-i think we will see a few changes and eck will shake it up a bit-totally correct chris , dunne far fitter and in much better shape than last year.

[Clark W Griswold]

Absolute complete and utter garbage from all outfield players with the exception of Delfouneso who has been OK. Given looks very good.

Are we watching the same game? Delfouneso has been dire. Not that I particularly blame him for that, it is hard as a youngster to come into a game like this in such heat against one of the best teams in Europe. We look like what are are, a bunch of strangers for the most part. Like the fact that Ireland is shouting at the other players, what we need as long as he keeps his temper

At least he has held onto the ball for more than 2 seconds and looked like he might do something. Admittedly his crossing was poor, but its not his natural position.

[ROBBO]

Only a pre season friendly but there are obvious weaknesses, midfield is piss weak and badly needs stengthening and all those who thought Albrighton could replace Young or Downing think again. I think it is good that AM is seeing how we fare against a top side.

[cdbearsfan]

Albrighton was pretty good on Wednesday. He'll generally be quite decent when we have some height up front to aim for as he is our best crosser.

[Ger Regan]

Did you turn on midway through the first half or are you choosing to ignore the pub-player defending for their goal?  There was nothing sharp about that.

You said that he looked fatter, which is utter nonsense. And yes, he was at fault for the goal.

[monkeyboy]

Pre season friendly agreed- but realistically if this game was in sub zero temp played in Jan do we really believe this would be any different.

Couple of quick observations from my point of view:

Positives:

- Given looks fantastically sharp - considering injury/inactivity - could be a great bit of business, truly impressed thus far
- Dunne look far fitter and more on the ball than last season (first 30 seconds apart)
- Gabby holding the line well - though thats all he doing as he has nothing around him

Negative:

- Overun in mid field as usual - nothing happening creatively or defensively, not in the game at all collectively, Chelsea going through them like a sunday morning madras
- Super M continuing with his worrying loss of form
- Ireland anonymous to shit - normal service resumed
- Delph missing - still for me showing no sign that he is anything more than a yellow card magnet
- Petrov shagged
- Fonz - shocking, thank good for Nz signing - if AM thought about fonz as an option for AY replacement, forget about it

Summary:

- If Bent gets injured we are royally fucked - and don't you know he'll get crocked in the Eng friendly 3 days before kick off (how on earth did we manage before Jan!!)
- Can somebody speak to RAL/PF and the cheerleading General and explain that James Milner was actually quite good and it may be a bit of fun to try to replace him at some point - there is a guy playing for a team in East London who would be cheap (ish) and already looks good in claret and blue - FFS do this!!
- Give Anelka a villa shirt-  he's been awaesome!

my 2p on a Saturday - think we have to strengthen especially in midfield - again i know it's a pre season game in 100% humidity, but the best rose tinted specs on the planet can't mask that this squad is mid table at best (cue getting shot down in flames) - if Bent get's injured......nope not going there

[Olneythelonely]

Absolutely atrocious first half performance.

Cos we're losing (narrowly) to one of the best teams in the World?

Nope, because we have played atrociously. Obviously.

Whereas we were good against Blackburn.

I don't have any ulterior motive, I'm one of the happy ones, but that first half was terrible.

We were also shit against Blackburn after the first 1/2 hour.

I don't think we were.

[CJ]

Our performance has been as disjointed as my streams - currently on stream #4 if anyone needs another link:

http://www.skyfooty.com/

[olaftab]

Dunne has been as agile as an oil tanker. The man is a liability.
Albrighton looks as crap as he did in the second half of last season.

[citizenDJ]

Absolute complete and utter garbage from all outfield players with the exception of Delfouneso who has been OK. Given looks very good.

Are we watching the same game? Delfouneso has been dire. Not that I particularly blame him for that, it is hard as a youngster to come into a game like this in such heat against one of the best teams in Europe. We look like what are are, a bunch of strangers for the most part. Like the fact that Ireland is shouting at the other players, what we need as long as he keeps his temper

In fairness to him, he's playing out wide and looks the only one able to take a player on. His crossing has been a bit wank but we haven't exactly been piling players into the box for him to aim for though.

I think that's pretty harsh on young Nathan, Richard! I'd say he's done quite well, always available to receive a pass and seems determined to get forward which he does reasonably well His crossing, though, is a bit rubbish. He'd be better to cut in and run at the heart of the defense, I think. Still, N'zogbia will do that for us, no doubt.

Overall, we're second best to good team, but the last 10 minutes we started to keep the ball a lot better. It's a friendly match, so winning or losing really doesn't matter too much (even if it is a trophy!). But, I would like to see us do a lot better in the second half; for what it's worth, I think the formation is good but as I've banged on about elsewhere I'd say we need a better defensive midfielder. Makoun might be it.

[richard moore]

Only a pre season friendly but there are obvious weaknesses, midfield is piss weak and badly needs stengthening and all those who thought Albrighton could replace Young or Downing think again. I think it is good that AM is seeing how we fare against a top side.

Spot on robbo, that is the most important thing, to see who can cut it against one of the best teams in Europe. Midfield is still a big concern, we just don't seem to move as a unit up and down the field, particularly going forward. I think that is what is getting Ireland's goat and is the main difference between a team like Chelsea and ourselves...and not helped either by not having creative attacking full backs

[Ad@m]

Dunne has been as agile as an oil tanker. The man is a liability.
Albrighton looks as crap as he did in the second half of last season.

Thank fuck for that.  I was starting to think I was watching a different game to everyone else.

[Chris Jameson]

I know he's been injured and all that but whenever i've seen Delph he has looked nothing more than a Championship player, what am I missing that seems to put him above seemingly any criticism?

[PaulWinch again]

Bloody hell guys, it wasn't good I won't deny that but it's only a half of a preseason friendly. Fitness is the most important thing.

[Clark W Griswold]

Did you turn on midway through the first half or are you choosing to ignore the pub-player defending for their goal?  There was nothing sharp about that.

You said that he looked fatter, which is utter nonsense. And yes, he was at fault for the goal.

Yep, pub style defending again. Dunne doesn't look as fat but he certainly still looks shit at times. The most worrying thing for me as a Villa fan is this situation of trying to polish 2 turds at centre back, added to the complete lack of cover in front of them. We look dreadful in that area of the pitch still.