Swansea City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[garyfouroaks]

Further evidence of the AM effect. No service to Bent, this is a rerun of Blues set-up last season.

Seldom has a manager had a more predictable effect on a Villa side.

[Barca 2011]

view of a Swansea fan on one of their boards.

If their manager picks Heskey to play in that position next week, he deserves the sack on the spot.

Even they can see it, But McLeish can't

[Steve R]

Not a pretty sight.

I assume Heskey is in the team because getting on the end of long clearances is not Bent's forte. Both players look desperately short of confidence, in Heskey's case that seems to be a long term condition.

Coincidentally - or maybe not  - I thought our best players today just so happened to be ex-academy.

[luke25]

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.

I've said this a few times this season, it drives me insane.

[The Left Side]

I put us down for loss, but we should have won that today... negatives were Hutton, I just think the guy is dirty, Heskey and I fear that Bent will soon get pissed off with this style of play.

As for the positives, Given for another game saving display, Herd and the Villa fans who went, it was the biggest crowd ever there.

[The Laughing Policeman]

I think I've sussed AM's strategy now.
Spend the first 70 mins stifling the opposition and then when they're almost comatose with boredom put on a couple of ball players and try to take them by surprise.

[Vanilla]

I think I've sussed AM's strategy now.
Spend the first 70 mins stifling the opposition and then when they're almost comatose with boredom put on a couple of ball players and try to take them by surprise.

The problem with that is, I think it is sending the Villa players to sleep as well.

I think we can safely say that the 'easy' first third of the season is over. December is going to be very interesting.

[Goldie.7]

I notice Stephen Ireland isn't even making the bench these days

Who!

[eamonn]

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.

Brian had us playing some great pass and move football between 1995 and '98 before the wheels fell off. Then in Gregory's honeymoon first three months we were an absolute joy to watch. Hendrie (peaking, tragically, in his first run in the side) and Yorke in particular, tore teams to shreds in the spring of '98.

Actually, comparing Gregory's Villa in his first few months in charge to the sterile team that lost to Chelsea in the cup final two years later (and also to forget MON's slightly less boring Leicester team in the two-legged League Cup semi final that season), it's quite scary to see how our style changed so much.

[adrenachrome]

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.

Brian had us playing some great pass and move football between 1995 and '98 before the wheels fell off. Then in Gregory's honeymoon first three months we were an absolute joy to watch. Hendrie (peaking, tragically, in his first run in the side) and Yorke in particular, tore teams to shreds in the spring of '98.

Actually, comparing Gregory's Villa in his first few months in charge to the sterile team that lost to Chelsea in the cup final two years later (and also to forget MON's slightly less boring Leicester team in the two-legged League Cup semi final that season), it's quite scary to see how our style changed so much.

Good point.

I have recently remarked on this forum that post BFR, all of our managers started out playing attacking football, even if of a more direct variety than suits many tastes,  before retreating into a defensive shell. In the case of AM however, we have started off negatively and defensively.

[AV82EC]

I think what was most instructive to me was that taking the game as a whole it looked on first viewing in the pub to be ugly and disjointed but watching the highlights on motd2 you'd have thought we went away disappointed not to have won by 2 clear goals.  It was better than Spurs we were a couple of moments aside much more solid BH that did rely on the officials giving us the benefit of the doubt with our tackling which was clumsy and reckless at times.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Really don't know where to start with that game.

It feels like we're a car that's been taken apart, piece by peice, laid out on the garage floor, then somebody has tried to put the car back together again. It still looks like a car but it's spluttering every few seconds. It's painful to watch as you know there's a decent car in their somewhere.

Just a few thoughts:

Agree with Steve Rose, the young 'uns look better than the experienced players. I wish Dunne and Collins would stop asking the kids for the ball or more importantly, the kids stopped passing it back to them. Ignore them and play your own game lads.

Paulie's point about the lack of movement. Hands up who thought Bannan was playing a different game when he came on? The lad wanted the ball and constantly made himself available for it. We finally had a driver.

DC5's point about N'Zogbia improving, I just don't know how long we can keep waiting for him to come good. He's forever running into cul-de-sacs and quite frankly I'd prefer to see Albrighton given a chance. If we could get our money back in January, I'd definately ship out N'Zogbia. He may eventually come good but we can't afford passengers.

Emile. Nice bloke, tries hard, does lots of things that go unnoticed for the team, etc etc but the biggest problem we have is our midfield and whilst Emile is still in there, it's never going to be fixed.

Kevin Gage mentioned how long it's been since we had a mongrel in the team, somebody to snap at the ankles. Whilst I agree with him, I most certainly wouldn't call Hutton a mongrel, not unless you're talking about a mix of a rabid doberman pinscher and a starving pit bull. How he managed to stay on the pitch, I've no idea. The man is a lunatic and he's another I'd love to get our money back in January. His only saving grace is that he can actually cross a ball, something N'Zogbia prefers to let him do.

As for what they do in training, I have no idea but I wish they'd bloody sort it out. This team urgently needs a top mechanic.

[Hookeysmith]

I have said before that we have turned into an exact copy of the dog shit - we are even becoming thugs like them and i really dont like it

Everytime Hutton or Delph go flying in you just grit your teeth as i fear for a red card very soon.

Given - considering the circustances he was a credit to make the one save he had to

Hutton - tackle apart (which i feel should have been red) he at best was average

Dunne - nothing wrong

Collins - must have been a difficult day for him but that does not excuse 50 yeard punts to no one all the time

Warnock - another player who i wince every time he goes flying into tackles

Herd - Did his job of breaking play up - stuggled to get any momentum with such a weak midfield around him

Delph - only a matter of time that he gets sent off - cannot see what he offers after 3 years at the club

Nzogbia - continually making the wrong choices when he has the ball - at least his work rate is improving

Heskey - just please go now you uselss lump of shit - offers fuck all and totally disjoints our team

Gabby - worked hard but must be getting pissed off

Bent - Did he play?  The cross from Gabby was on a plate for his trade mark run across the defender and again he was left flat footed - again though he must be getting frustrated at the lack of chances

Jenas - must start next week

Bannan - must start next week

I would rather go at United and lose a few goals that watch this turgid crap every week - we try and keep it tight angainst the red filth and once we concede the "plan" is dead

 FInally - Alex this is shit, you are out of your depth and i am sorry to say we deserve better than the garbage you are serving up - if the players are not doing what you tell them then drop them

I fear they are doing exactly what you tell them thats why not one of them look even remotely interested

PLease shape up or fook off

[MarkM]

I started to write this last night, but got so despondent I gave up and went on the xbox instead.

Although I have in the past complained about performances I have tried not to be to harsh on the manager, but the way we are playing is driving me mad!

We can all see that playing Heskey [in a multitude of positions] is really hampering our creativity, we are desperate for a creative outlet, and by playing defensively all the time is robbing us of it.

We CANNOT just lump the ball over the midfield and hope that Heskey wins the ball and provides some kind of knock on for Bent, and although Gabby can play left wing, surely playing him just behind Bent with a dedicated left winger has got to be the way to go?

We looked much better when Heskey and Delph went off, BUT that should have been done at half time [actually we should have started that way] McL leaves it too late before making changes and this does not give us enough time to adapt.

He is clearly a defensive minded manager who does not really see the benefits of creative midfield, they say that a Leopard does not change its spots, and as long as McL is manager we will be...

"Boring, Boring Villa"

[Mister E]

Not a pretty sight.

I assume Heskey is in the team because getting on the end of long clearances is not Bent's forte.

We shouldn't just be lumping it; then we would not need Heskey.