Fulham vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[AV82EC]

Reasonable start to the season.  First half was good and if we didn't create enough we were certainly the side carrying the much greater threat.  Second half we faded off it and Fulham did have more of it but we stuck at it and never really looked in too much bother.  I think we all need to remember its the first game of the season and we have a couple of new faces, a new Manager with new expectations and potential styles of play and I just think its going to take time to bed in.  So a solid B- for me today.

Given - 8 - Solid, good saves esp the reflex one from Zamora
Young - 7 - Got what we expect from Luke, maybe needs to get forwards a bit more
Collins - 7 - Much more dominant in the air than I remember but still sometimes caught out on the ground
Dunne - 7 - Good performance, has shed timber just a couple of clumsy tackles.
Warnock - 7 - Yep looked comfortable, good reading of play and supported Gabby well.  I expect to see a few more of his buccaneering runs at VP
Petrov - 6.5 - Worked his arse off as usual and the area in front of our back 4 looked relatively secure
Delph - 6.5 - As per Petrov but showed a few naive touches coming forwards
N'Zogbia - 7 - Not match fit but was our most creative influence on the pitch, some lovely touches and crosses
Heskey - 7 - I thought Emile plyed well today in the role he was given, dominant in the air with most set pieces he worked his nuts off closing down  the likes of Murphy.  Still lacks any creative or goal threat for this role.
Gabby - 6 - Out of position, out of sorts and just not enjoying his football.  However still puts in a good shift.
Bent - 5 - Probably unfair but was feeding off no service and was largely anonymous.
Albrighton/Clark - 6 - Not really on long enough to have an impact

McLeish - 6 - Clean sheet and a point.  Set his team up not to lose the game but also carry some threat going forwards.  Unfortunately in protecting the point we maybe missed the opportunity to go for 3 against what I thought looked an out of sorts Fulham team.    However, he needs to build confidence so its a start. 

Us - 7 - Usual loud vocal performance however our lack of any new or original songs is starting to grate.  I'll also take a mark off for the idiot singing about Tracy Andrews as we left the ground and the other idiot who apparently headbutted a fellow Villa fan in the bogs just before kick off.

As ever great awayday.

Onwards and hopefully upwards.

[Shrek]

We got a clean sheet today because of Shay Given who was outstanding!

Our defence was shite, Given was exposed too much and young was constantly caught out position! We were lucky to get a point today!

[ROBBO]

They had three great chances that Given stopped we had none, Heskey as far as i could see was there purely to get his head onto Givens kicks because he did nothing else. Petrov once again ran out of puff early second half and we started to defend deeper because of it. We seem to have gone back to the days of hoofball.

[KRS]

I know its only the highlights but we didnt look as bad on MOTD as some ppl have been making out on here, and the comments from both managers seem to suggest it was an even game and a fair result.

Thinking again about the team selection, if you look at it, he's actually picked the most experienced starting XI on the first game of the season. Get a few solid results under our belts and then I expect he will start tweaking and introducing some of the players that we expected to start but were sat on the bench.

Its all about results not performances at this stage.

[Apyadg]

I know its only the highlights but we didnt look as bad on MOTD as some ppl have been making out on here

We had 1 (one) shot on target in 90 minutes.

No conceding from a set piece. No conceding late goal. A tad boring but if it keeps us up so be it.

...If it keeps us up? Fuck me, it's going to be a long season.

[Archie]

I thought Dunne was ok today Archie, still a little clumsy at times especially when he gave away a couple of free kicks in dangerous positions.

Yes, but I was generally speaking, he is one of those players whose wages are so high that it'll be impossible to sell them.

[djbone]

Staggering that is our first away clean sheet since Hull April 2010.

Weird I hadn't realised that, and that was the last time I was able to go to see the villa - before today :0)

Was a bit pissed off leaving the ground (though the Youngs Special in the Duke's Head put paid to that).  Felt we were too negative, though of course it's pleasing to see us looking more solid, with just a tiny bit more ambition we could have nicked that today. 

Given - 8. Excellent, several crucial saves.
Young - 7. Solid and tried to overlap
Warnock - 7. See Young
Collins - 7. Impressive.
Dunne - 6. Generally good but a couple of howlers
Petrov - 5. I honestly think he needs replacing. Nice bloke and a good servant but people go past him too easily and offensively he's like Ray Wilkins with the sideways and backwards passing.
Delph - 6. Very good first half but faded badly
N'Zogbia - 6. Disappointing today but looked unfit
Gabby - 7. Felt sorry for him stuck out on the wing but he did as well as he could in the circumstances and played a couple of cute passes in to DB.
Heskey- 5. As others have said, a square peg in a round hole, and the usual crapness when he did get in front of goal. Bit impetuous again too, could've got himself sent off. Has to go.
Bent - 6. No service, bit unlucky to finish well but be offside with his only chance.

Albrighton - 6. Better than last few pre-season games, looked a threat.

McLeish - 6. We dont look much different to his style at Blues. Hope things will improve for home games.

Our support - 9. great atmosphere in the 'neutral' end, singing throughout by most of the crowd, and generous applause at the end. Good crack in the Putney pubs too.

Craven Cottage - lovely away trip in August, but the half-time service was a wind-up once again. 20 mins wait only for the bloody shutters to be pulled down before we got anywhere near a drink, ffs

[KRS]

I know its only the highlights but we didnt look as bad on MOTD as some ppl have been making out on here

We had 1 (one) shot on target in 90 minutes.

Point taken but I'd also take the point on the first away game of the season with a clean sheet.

We may have only had one shot on target but there as useful as the few more shots off target we had if they dont go in...and if that 1 (one) shot on target had actually gone in then I dont think they'd be many complaints. That is a big "IF" and another one would be would we have had more shots on goal if he'd have played a different starting XI, and I guarantee there will be lots more big "IFS" and "BUTS" throughout the season.

[darren woolley]

We start with a point then I said before the game in the pub talking to some locals that I would take a point away from home first half we seemed good I thought Delph played well first half defence did look good and Given he was my man of the match Dunne was unlucky with a header towards the end which got deflected for a corner where I was sitting look like it was going in I wish we could have got some service to Bent but a point away from home not all that bad.

[Toronto Villa]

Important we didn't lose today. Nothing much to get excited about, it was a performance entirely in keeping with the atmosphere around the club these days.

Could be a season of attrition but if we stay organised like that we should be OK in mid-table.

Sorry TV, I'm afraid I can't agree that N'Zogbia has already shown he is a step up on A Young. He'll have to do considerably better than that for a sustained period of time.

That's not what I said though is it? My comment was specifically about the crosses he put in today. One thing we were all frustrated about with Ash was his crosses, be they open play or set pieces. I think N'Zogbia will prove to be a better crosser than Ash and better in dead ball situations. He'll have to do much, much more than that to be a better all around player than him, and I'd be mental to suggest that his is.

On a broader note, today was fine. It's the opening day of the season. We got a point at a place where a number of teams will lose this season. Fulham is never an easy place to go, and if you look at the pre-match thread there were lots of people predicting a defeat because they didn't have faith in our team getting anything from the game coupled with the fact Fulham's fitness and sharpness would be a lot better. We weren't great, but we didn't fold as we did many times last season. You simply cannot judge what this season is going to be like based on one game. McLeish will likely rotate his first team based on the opponents. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see a far more creative set up against Blackburn at Villa Park next week.

[pooligan]

The way we set up and performance was just what you would expect from a Alex McLeish team.Make sure we do not concede and nick one if we can.Looks like we could be in for a long old season.

[Caiphus]

I was surprised by how decent Warnock looked again.  He still has some improving to do, but his positioning was much better than over the last year and a half and he didn't look as ready to dive in.

[Holte L2]

Heskey and gabby aren't suited to playing the roles they held today , I'd go with -

                       Given

   Young.    Dunne       Collins.   Warnock




              Delph.    Petrov.  Makoun




             Ireland.            Nzogbia



                         Bent

Prefer your selection to AM's eastie.
Perhaps v Blackburn?

I'd go with:

                  Given

Young  Clark  Dunne. Warnock

              Petrov  Delph

Albrighton.                       N'zogbia
                     Ireland

                      Bent

[lessealey]

I think the team selection for the first game was correct. If he played; Bannan, Makoun, Albrighton, Clark And left out; Hesky, Petrov, Warnock

He would have jettisoned 3 experienced players we will need at times thoughout the season. There is plenty of time for the young players to come in and earn their places and the exp players will understand if the young lads come off the bench and play better than them.

If Hesky is still in our first choice 11 in Nov then we have a problem...

[Shrek]

If he starts with the same team at home, we are fucked.