Swansea City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[wookster]

I don't think we played that badly to be honest, but the problem for me is that I cannot feel any emotion at all towards this team. I looked at the first 11 today and there are just way too many players who I simply don't give a toss about. Hutton, Heskey, Collins and Dunne and N'Zogbia represent all that I dislike about the sorry state of the club right now. Freeloaders the lot of them who by some miracle get picked no matter what. Watching Hutton's tackle didn't make it angry, it just made me sad that such a pathetic excuse for a footballer is playing in claret and blue.

We have a team who seem to be unable to cross a ball, whats the point in having a target man with no decent supply.
A defence that is prone to spending its time on its arse.

These are basics that need to be addressed.

The fear is starting to descend over me when you look at the december fixture list   

[TonyD]

AM is rapidly ruining this team on a number of levels.   It's not going to get any better as this is what he does.  He is not suddenly going to get us passing, keeping the ball, stop the hoofing,  play with confidence etc.   At least Heskey now has a bit of competition - Hutton is arguably shitter.  The future is fucking dire under this manager.

[Fin Feds Dad]

Another thing ...........since when has Warnock become our dead ball specialist ?

[olaftab]

I watched the first 30 mins. A period when we were embarrassing. I than had to go out and about to do a few things and next heard the end of match report on 5Live. The reporter stated:  "Match has ended 0-0. Villa were the better team had more chances and will be disappointed that they went away without winning this one"
I than switched over to WM and the host (Paul Franks I think) stated: " Well Villa had a lucky escape today. Swansea were on top for most of the game and had they not missed some chances  Villa would have been looking at another defeat"

Were these two at the same match?

[supertom]

Forgot we played today. Says it all really. Am I surprised Hutton's been up to his old tricks again? No. Shit player.

The sooner this season ends and we sod McLeish off, the better. I'd rather be an entertaining mid-table side. Hell, I'd rather be Stoke. For as ugly as they can be, they're effective with their game-plan. We don't have even that.

[wombat]

Pfffftttt... well a draw is better than I expected.

I am really struggling to see what the hell our 'plan' is?? It seems to be give it to Gabby and hope he is playing out of his skin, failing that hoof it and kick the living shit out of the oppo and throw in some naff defensive errors for good measure. There must be more to it than.... surely.... I wouldn't be shocked if there isn't though.

Other than Gabby today, who was excellent (and looked mighty pissed off at times!), it was a slight improvement on Spurs but probably on the on the basis that Swansea aren't as good as them.

If anyone on the board or in the managerial staff honestly thinks this style of play with these players is getting us into europe all I can say to them is CUCKOOOOOOOOOO!

[Big Dick Edwards]

I watched the first 30 mins. A period when we were embarrassing. I than had to go out and about to do a few things and next heard the end of match report on 5Live. The reporter stated:  "Match has ended 0-0. Villa were the better team had more chances and will be disappointed that they went away without winning this one"
I than switched over to WM and the host (Paul Franks I think) stated: " Well Villa had a lucky escape today. Swansea were on top for most of the game and had they not missed some chances  Villa would have been looking at another defeat"

Were these two at the same match?

Ignore Franks, he's a wind-up merchant. He never has anything positive to say about Villa.

[frank]

I watched the first 30 mins. A period when we were embarrassing. I than had to go out and about to do a few things and next heard the end of match report on 5Live. The reporter stated:  "Match has ended 0-0. Villa were the better team had more chances and will be disappointed that they went away without winning this one"
I than switched over to WM and the host (Paul Franks I think) stated: " Well Villa had a lucky escape today. Swansea were on top for most of the game and had they not missed some chances  Villa would have been looking at another defeat"

Were these two at the same match?

Well, I was at the game and I agree with 5Live. As against Sunderland, we were the better side and probably deserved to win. I'm not saying we're better than 6th-8th in the PL with our present squad, but we're not as poor as many make out. My worry is that with our financial constraints, for which I don't blame AM or Randy, we're not going to compete with the wealthier teams and will remain just below the top group. Perhaps our young players will emerge as real stars, but experience tells us that only one or two per generation ever really make the grade. So if we are to progress from here we must keep our top players, hope one or two youngsters make it and - this is what I'm not very confident about - trust AM to make a few inspired signings on the cheap

[Exeter 77]

Ignore Franks, he's a wind-up merchant. He never has anything positive to say about Villa.

All part of the WM agenda on Villa - see also Daz Hale etc.

[KevinGage]

I watched the first 30 mins. A period when we were embarrassing. I than had to go out and about to do a few things and next heard the end of match report on 5Live. The reporter stated:  "Match has ended 0-0. Villa were the better team had more chances and will be disappointed that they went away without winning this one"
I than switched over to WM and the host (Paul Franks I think) stated: " Well Villa had a lucky escape today. Swansea were on top for most of the game and had they not missed some chances  Villa would have been looking at another defeat"

Were these two at the same match?

They played the better football but had no real penetration, and never really had us under the cosh for any period of time.

We looked disjointed and generally horrible, but had more attacking moments in and around their area, particularly for a spell before and directly after half time. You could just about tell we had the better players.  No real clear cut chances though, where you'd say we should have definitely scored. More snap shots that could have produced something.

They may feel disappointed they didn't win, as Lita had two chances a better forward may have buried. But a defeat would have been harsh on us. I'd say we just about shaded it.

[Matt Collins]

I think for most of the second half we were well on top. I don't think Swansea played good football at all. I thought they were predictable and had no penetration at all.

We weren't great by any stretch, but if Bent and N'Zogbia ever get into form, and we can find a balance in midfield, we SHOULD be at least decent.

I'd still like to see more evidence that we actually spend most of the week passing the ball around to each other on the training pitch.

[Dave Clark Five]

We weren't great by any stretch, but if Bent and N'Zogbia ever get into form, and we can find a balance in midfield, we SHOULD be at least decent.

Just about sums it up for me. No big surprise we are having to resort to strong arm tactics when we are forced onto the back foot. The limelight should be at the other end of the pitch.

[Shrek]

I went to the game today.

We were shit for an hour. They were only worried when Gabby got the ball.

When Bannan came on, it took about 5 minutes for the team to adjust, then we were superb. Bannan was at the heart of everything and were piling on the pressure.

Our midfield 3 should be Bannan, Herd and Jenas from now on, if AM does this and try's to play decent football he has a chance as our manager.
But if like I think he doesn't and he continues to play Heskey and stifle our creative players, he doesn't have a chance as Villa boss.

I am really worried that AM is going to drag our club down to the same level as Bolton Blackburn etc and it will take years for us to recover. We are doomed.

[KevinGage]

It's been a regular theme in recent years - what do they get up to in training- but it's as relevant now as it was in MON's era.

The much maligned James Collins came to us with the reputation of being a bit of a ball playing centre half, as ridiculous as that seems now.   And in his first few months he was able to spray the ball out wide and look vaguely competent.   I might be reading too much into things, but his manager at West Ham the previous season was Zola, with Steve Clarke on the coaching staff.  It's not completely impossible that they worked on that side of his game with him and gave him more confidence to try and play.

So based on that- and our general shiteness this season-  I conclude that they must spend most of their time jogging (or walking) around cones. Or maybe flat out bumping into them.  Before Dunne and Collins nip off for a crafty fag behind the bike sheds.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's been a regular theme in recent years - what do they get up to in training- but it's as relevant now as it was in MON's era.

For me the most consistent failing in the way we play is the total and utter lack of movement off the ball.

It seems to be a malaise about the club which has lingered for about 20 years. In fact, it is almost 20 years, BFR's team were the last Villa side i really recall being anything approaching vibrant off the ball.