Aston Villa v Manchester United Post-Match Thread

[Proposition Joe]

Terrible first half, better second half. I don't understand why we won't mark, we won't close down and we won't tackle, for all of the negatives with McLeish's style of football, the one thing I expected him to sort out was workrate, it just wasn't there at all in the first half.

Bingo.  That really bothers me too.  I seem to remember the blues being a lot more in your face than we are.  I made a comment in the match thread about how when we don't have possession the only way we can get it back is through an opposition mistake, because we don't press, don't tackle and sit back. 

It almost seems like we are set up to never intend to have the ball - only win it by luck then give it straight back anyway.  Like some bizarre experiment - can a team stay in the Premier League if it never has the ball?  I say almost, because AM does seem to get mighty pissed off when we give the ball away, but maybe that's part of the act!

[Fin Feds Dad]

Its a chore going to games currently.

A woeful appointment from an inept board.

[Monty]

My biggest concern over AM right now is that as the season is progressing we are looking more and more inept and I can't see anything that indicates he or we can turn things round.
Our passing is still shit, as is our movement off the ball. We rarely shoot, our main tactic still seems to be, close you eyes, lump it forward and pray a miracle happens.

Can't remember who said it (though think it may have been Einstein), but McLeish's football makes me think of that phrase that "the definition of an idiot is someone who tries the same thing in the same way over and over again, expecting a different result." That's our football 'strategy' at the moment, and it's terrible.

[Legion]

Highlights

[timeoutbigbar]

Oh, and a special shout out to the utter fucking morons booing Ashley Young. You deserve to be served up this shite.

Agree entirely.  Really hoped our fans would behave with a bit of class today and pay respect to a player who carried us in terms of creativity for the last four years.  Shame.

[Ads]

Young got more support today than any Villa player.

[Montys Bro]

'Heskey gave us a different dimension tactically, he has tremendous presence, he made his presence known. He was tremendous.'

'We were much better second half, we had a couple of little opertunities'

When they said they've got mcleish ready to be interviewed I was genuinely nearly sick. That stat about 52 wins in 70 vs ex players for ferguson is extremely telling, what a racket he's got going.

[charlie]

we either change manager or get ready for Derby, Forest, Leicester, this bloke will take us down, its revenge for sending agent Ridgewell to the noses, seriously Eck will  relegate Villa, no doubts, its McNeill all over again.

[Mister E]

I had a great time. I spent most of the match in bed with the missus.

At least you scored!

How ddo you know? - were you there?

[paul_e]

Mcleish doing his nut on the sideline was driving me crazy.  The players are delivering a performance based on what you do with them in training.

Since Randy came in we've had 1 year with a manager where pass and move was the key to training and he struggled because of the squad not accepting the change.  This complete lack of footballing skill we're seeing now is the result of that complete lack of preparation.  Bannan and Albrighton have looked good in fits and starts when they've been controlling the tempo, as soon as the ball goes to any of the 'senior' midfielders or defenders everything slows down and leads inevitably to a 50/50 hoof from Dunne or Collins.

All the talent we have in the reserves and youth is going to be completely wasted unless we can get a complete change in footballing philosophy in the 1st team.  If we have to get rid of 5-6 players for that to happen then so be it.  I could accept a relegation battle if the signs were there that we were moving forward (which was my opinion last year, I could see where GH wanted to take us and I was willing to take the pain short term for us to get there) but currently I just see a system that is setup to hit long balls to a target man and hope it falls nicely to a player around him.

The worst thing is, with gabby, bent, nzog, bannan, albrighton, ireland and the youngsters coming through the vast majority of our options aren't even suited to the game we're trying to play, that's what makes it all the more ridiculous.

[Somniloquism]

Dunne was in the paper again today, telling how he didn't like the way his pals Warnock and Ireland were treated by GH. Well they were shit and so were you David - he can treat them/you anyway he felt fit as far as i'm concerned,. And as for claiming it was him who turned round the clubs form last season and not the management. Well, There's no GH to blame now David,  and you're still shit.

When did we sign the fat midfielder?

[garyshawsknee]

'Heskey gave us a different dimension tactically, he has tremendous presence, he made his presence known. He was tremendous.'

'We were much better second half, we had a couple of little opertunities'

Did he really come out with that?? Boy,were fcuked if he did.

[KevinGage]

He might go this season, but it won't be after losing to a team like United.

Even if the performance was quite frankly embarrassing.  Any neutral who didn't see the game (or the Tottingham one for that matter)  will think that both results were about par.

Ultimately it won't be fans reactions that do for him, the board took little>no notice of the one issue supporters seemed to agree on in the summer- not wanting the bloke in the first place. But he WILL come under fire if we gob it against the lesser sides, or have a long winless run.   

[villasjf]

'Heskey gave us a different dimension tactically, he has tremendous presence, he made his presence known. He was tremendous.'

'We were much better second half, we had a couple of little opertunities'

Did he really come out with that?? Boy,were fcuked if he did.

[Mister E]

We were described in the BBBC live website commentary as a "shameful shambles". Randy: it's time to wake up, smell the coffee and take a decision.
What manager out there would be able to make the right decisions about our mediocre back four and make the most of our talented youngsters? - please step forward.

Lee Clark of (Huddersfield)? Simon Grayson?