Aston Villa v Tesco Bags Post-Match Thread

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can't blame Heskey or Petrov, but their time has come and gone, time to get some youthful exburence in the team, and before we go on about experience in the team, where was the leadership on the pitch yday?

Exactly, where was the leadership? We have lacked it for a while.

Despite his shortcomings, Downing used to constantly drive us forward, before him, Milner through the middle and before him, Barry always knew when to step it up a level when needed. Now we lack any drive and passion from any player that has that ability. Missing out on Scott Parker in the summer was an huge mistake and one we're likely to pay for until we rebuild the central midfield.

[glasses]

It comes down to this for me with McLeish. If you are down to ten men, and losing, bringing on Emile Heskey as a central midfielder is ridiculous, and can never be the answer. Considering we had Albrighton and Ireland on the bench who are employed as midfielders, to bring on Heskey is inept at worst, blind faith at best. The formation of 4-3-2, when down to ten and losing, was suicidal, and quite frankly it was a miracle we didnt ship more than one in the second half. Going with a midfield of three against their five, how could that ever work? One of Bent or Gabby needed to be sacrificed IMO for a midfielder, in one of many variations. Although, no fight in ou team at all anyway.

Never mind eh!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The obvious replacement was Clark. His devotion to Heskey is most concerning.

[dazzyg]

Calling all Villa Fans !!!!!!!!!!!

It is now time to start McLEISH how we feel we are too quiet at Villa Park. What is it with us? Not once has anyone jeered him at Villa Park? Why? We have given him eleven games how much more time does he need? December is going to be the mother of all months for us and how many points will we pick up?

[Concrete John]

Finally saw the sending off/penalty on MOTD2 last night and it confirmed what I though at the ground Saturday - never even a foul!  It was very telling that the WBA players looked as bemused and confused as ours did when it happened.  UP to that point I thought we were the better side, even if we hadn't created all that much.  I reckon we were heading for a relatively routine home win up to that point.

Afterwards, there's a lot to be critical of.  The mentality of the side seemed all wrong to me - we should have been playing like lions to make up for the injustice, yet just went within ourselves and allowed WBA to dictate the play.  And then it was two goals from set pieces, a basic you'd expect a manager like AM to get right.  The substitutions were baffling - it should have been Clark for N'Zogbia once we lost Herd and then, when chasing a goal late on, Albrighton for one of the fullbacks and go 3-4-2.  The only sense Heskey made was for defending set pieces, but as we were 1-2 down wheh he came on why think of damage limitation when a goal down at home?

Worst day under McLeish so far.       

[Hookeysmith]

Up to the sending off i thought we looked pretty decent - Herd especially gave us some bit in midfield and we looked like we could take them relatively easy

Then the sending off - in the first instance i genuinely (from my view from the dug out) thought it was for handball from the free kick - then when the card was shown i assumed it was for desent or swearing as i just did not see the incident in real time. Once i saw it on the pitch it is inconclusive at the very best so no way should it have been a pen or a sending off.

The i was shocked at the tactical inability of the manager - truely shocked

Bent off, Gabby up top on own and a midfielder on to shore up the pack across the pitch

What happened then defied belief - Heskey comes on in Midfield and we get completely run over - was anyone surprised?

Have tried to support McLeish but his signings (N'Zogbia and Hutton) are 2 of the worst i have seen - apart from the small price Given was a no brainer that even a novice would have snapped up

I said to a mate on way to game that all season he has struggled to pick the right mix in midfield. Considering the striking options and defensive line up picks itself that is all he has had to work out. No whether by luck or design Herd seemed to be the missing link for the time he was on the pitch - i hope his copybook is not blotted due to sending off as i think he could be a player for us.

Someon said at the game - we have turned into the Cleveland browns - happy to participate but know that we will never be a force again

really sad

[Brend'Watkins]

Herd was our best player up to the point of his sending off.  We looked comfortable and had he stayed on the pitch they would have had to work harder at those set pieces they scored from. 

We were very poor with 10 men, clueless almost.  I couldn't see the point of bringing Heskey on, there were far better options.

[ktvillan]

Man Yoo were behind when they went down to 10 men and were obliged to press forward and chase the game.  That was bound to leave gaps that players as good as Silva, Arguero, Balotelli and Dzeko (and even Milner who was excellent) could exploit.

Chelsea were also a goal down when they went down to 9 men.  They still managed to murder QPR for much of the second half.

We were a goal up and just rolled over and died.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I dread to think how we'd have done had we been playing a decent side on Saturday. We were lucky that Albion are so shit up front or we could have taken a Man United-style hiding.

10 men or not, we showed little spirit for a toe-to-toe scrap with our own noisy neighbours.

[shipscat]

One thing that puzzled me,why on earth was Herd  picking up Ollson.Surely,along with Scharner,he was the major threat at set pieces and hence a job for the Dunne/Collins axis.It wasn't just the card incident,he'd had him all afternoon.

[glasses]

One thing that puzzled me,why on earth was Herd  picking up Ollson.Surely,along with Scharner,he was the major threat at set pieces and hence a job for the Dunne/Collins axis.It wasn't just the card incident,he'd had him all afternoon.

My guess is because Herd is very good in the air, and our two Centre backs were marking zonally

[pedro25]

Yer Herd can get up much higher than Dunney can.

[kippaxvilla2]

Calling all Villa Fans !!!!!!!!!!!

It is now time to start McLEISH how we feel we are too quiet at Villa Park. What is it with us? Not once has anyone jeered him at Villa Park? Why? We have given him eleven games how much more time does he need? December is going to be the mother of all months for us and how many points will we pick up?

I think the honest answer to that is less and less people actually care anymore.

[pauliewalnuts]

Calling all Villa Fans !!!!!!!!!!!

It is now time to start McLEISH how we feel we are too quiet at Villa Park. What is it with us? Not once has anyone jeered him at Villa Park? Why? We have given him eleven games how much more time does he need? December is going to be the mother of all months for us and how many points will we pick up?

Yeah, I reckon that's the answer to our malaise.

We need to start jeering the manager. Perhaps we could find where he parks and shit on his bonnet. Or throw rotten fruit at him.

That'd lift the spirits.

[Legion]

He got an excellent reception this morning.