Aston Villa v Swansea City Post-Match Thread

[villadelph]

I don't blame Bent. He must be more frustrated than us FFS.  He needs service and isn't getting any. We are so slow in the build up especially at VP and have to resort to knocking high balls into a crowded box. Marc should have started. Zog and Ireland are giving it effort and looking good at last and with Gabby we should be pulling defences all over as they try and combat out attacking threat.

Chelsea were scared to death  by Gabby for example. We simply need to play it fast, create movement and keep it low. We did it on Saturday and at home perhaps we should play 2 up front or Gabby/Ireland behind Benty.

Not Gabby out wide. IMHO

No service?! There were 15 corners.

Bent doesn't move. He just doesn't. He can only check back for the ball in the middle of the park with his back to goal, in which 99% of the time will result in a backwards pass. He incapable of turning around a defender, or taking a touch into space and going forward. He is useless when is comes to tracking back and closing down markers, and has little vision for the pass when going forward.

That being said, don't sell him off. N'Zogbia, Albrighton, Gabby and Ireland are more than enough to get him goals. He needs to work harder and get himself in to better positions so can see more chances. McLeish has no idea how to work around Bent, or how to create a supply line. Losing a goal threat and a man who a manager must point out before the match to his defense would be a big blow to Villa. Regardless if the man can only score a tap in, it's a quality we need on our team. Moreover, I don't trust McLeish with the funds that would come in return. He's got a poor track record in January and I don't want all the former to become to current. Stephen Ireland can become the CM we've been "shopping" for.

Darren Bent needs to increase his productivity, while I see little hope for McLeish. Home record says it all for me, they/we don't want you here and it'll be hard luck to change that. Great bloke but below average manager. You're in over your head mate.

up the villa.

[Villanation]

Bent show all the traits of a player that simply doesn't want to know, he has the ability providing he doesn't have to work to hard to get a result, that's not Villa, you can see over the seasons how much effort Gabby has to put in just to get a sniff.

[kippaxvilla2]

If he was told that funds were limited then dont take the fukin job or don't bleat about squad sizes when beaten at home so comprehensively by a promoted side that hasn't won away all season.

[phantom limb]

The after-match bile that is normally directed at Hutton has been masking how poor a player Warnock is. At least Hutton tries, whereas Warnock just seems to be not bothered with his consistent incompetence. I hope Stevens is half decent because we need to replace Warnock asap.

All of the opposition teams know he's our weak link as well, right wingers around the country must rub their hands with glee when they see his name on the team sheet. I think Dyer is a good player from what I've seen of him, but he absolutely rinsed Warnock and it was just embarrassing. Perhaps Houllier had the right idea when he dropped him into the reserves for most of last season.

Fair play to Swansea, they absolutely did us and I've no complaints. I just hope that someone at boardroom level sat through this debacle and got as annoyed as I did.

[Jockey Randall]

Some people need to stop throwing their toys out the pram and acting like we're some sort of force these days who should be steam rolling teams like Swansea at home.

[villadelph]

Some people need to stop throwing their toys out the pram and acting like we're some sort of force these days who should be steam rolling teams like Swansea at home.

You're daft if you think we shouldn't have dismantled Swans today. Coming off a win at the Bridge Swansea should have been chopped liver.

[brian green]

Just got home from the game.   Why can't McLeish call a spade a spade?   Why does he say some fans are frustrated when the reality is that a very large number of fans are extremely angry.   He makes it sound like we are miffed about some minor matter when I for one am hopping mad - along with everybody who sits by us in Holte  about unbelievable inconsistencies in Villa performances.

We were given a footballing lesson by a side who have not won away from home in the top flight since 1982.

Swansea were quicker, marked closer, were fitter and hungrier than we were .   We once again played like team who hate each other's guts and the manager once again showed his inability to cope at premiership level with any tactic other than nick a goal and hang on.

In all the years I have been following Villa I have never seen us so bad at corner kicks both attacking them and defending them.   What do they do all day on the training ground?

[rob_bridge]

Right first attended game this season. Thankfully there were enough empty seats so I could sit next to my mate and his family in the Sir Witton Lane stand.

What can I say. Anti Football 0 Football 2. A smart manager who manages and managed his resources in a more smart way than a more experienced opponent.

Guzan 5/10 - 1 bad mistake but give the bloke a break his kicking is still better than Bozzies, just.
Cuellar 6/10 - I thought was good though reacted slowly for their 2nd. (Hutton 5/10 when he came on empitomy of Oo Eck's philosophy)
Warnock 2/10 - 1 very bad mistake and all round woeful 1st half, though seemed to at least be able to last the match fitness wise. If he is the best we have then we are fupped.
Collins 5/10 - See Hutton
Dunne 6/10 - Done ok. Solid no more
Clark 6/10 - started well and faded. Defo potential.
PEtrov 6/10 - see Clark minus potential.
CNZ 3/10 - rubbish! The Real Passenger.
Ireland 4/10 - at least he tried but largely ineffective. Why he was taken off before CNZ is beyond me. (Albrighton 6/10).
Gabby 5/10 - practically a wing back at times - how does that work?
Bent 4/10 - no service, no effectiveness.

Not sure the next time I will part with £40 to watch Villa.

Finally thanks to Mr Woodhall the gent as it meant I was able to purchase the most recent 4 issues of H&V.

[Mister E]

The after-match bile that is normally directed at Hutton has been masking how poor a player Warnock is. At least Hutton tries, whereas Warnock just seems to be not bothered with his consistent incompetence. I hope Stevens is half decent because we need to replace Warnock asap.

All of the opposition teams know he's our weak link as well, right wingers around the country must rub their hands with glee when they see his name on the team sheet. I think Dyer is a good player from what I've seen of him, but he absolutely rinsed Warnock and it was just embarrassing. Perhaps Houllier had the right idea when he dropped him into the reserves for most of last season.

Fair play to Swansea, they absolutely did us and I've no complaints. I just hope that someone at boardroom level sat through this debacle and got as annoyed as I did.

Warnock was outstanding against Chelsea.

Players make mistakes but managers send the 11 out with instructions and motivational thoughts. McMinge screwed up today by playing tired players and by trying to play a game-style that doesn't suit us (slow build-up stuff is really not our bag). He should have kept the same formation as against Chelsea but freshened up the players by including Gardner and / or Bannan.

The biggest problem - I suspect - was attitudinal: and that's down to the manager and coaching staff.

[Simba]

I don't blame Bent. He must be more frustrated than us FFS.  He needs service and isn't getting any. We are so slow in the build up especially at VP and have to resort to knocking high balls into a crowded box. Marc should have started. Zog and Ireland are giving it effort and looking good at last and with Gabby we should be pulling defences all over as they try and combat out attacking threat.

Chelsea were scared to death  by Gabby for example. We simply need to play it fast, create movement and keep it low. We did it on Saturday and at home perhaps we should play 2 up front or Gabby/Ireland behind Benty.

Not Gabby out wide. IMHO

No service?! There were 15 corners.

Bent doesn't move. He just doesn't. He can only check back for the ball in the middle of the park with his back to goal, in which 99% of the time will result in a backwards pass. He incapable of turning around a defender, or taking a touch into space and going forward. He is useless when is comes to tracking back and closing down markers, and has little vision for the pass when going forward.

That being said, don't sell him off. N'Zogbia, Albrighton, Gabby and Ireland are more than enough to get him goals. He needs to work harder and get himself in to better positions so can see more chances. McLeish has no idea how to work around Bent, or how to create a supply line. Losing a goal threat and a man who a manager must point out before the match to his defense would be a big blow to Villa. Regardless if the man can only score a tap in, it's a quality we need on our team. Moreover, I don't trust McLeish with the funds that would come in return. He's got a poor track record in January and I don't want all the former to become to current. Stephen Ireland can become the CM we've been "shopping" for.

Darren Bent needs to increase his productivity, while I see little hope for McLeish. Home record says it all for me, they/we don't want you here and it'll be hard luck to change that. Great bloke but below average manager. You're in over your head mate.

up the villa.

Unfortunately no debate here. It is exactly what I said. Corners = high balls except when like today on a few occasions we knock knee high or totally unexpected to the front post. However, I will debate his ability to turn a defender or make space: it is why he has a proven record of scoring goals. He instinctively dummy runs the defender  and finds the ball. Otherwise I agree with your post  especially about AMc needing to find the formula to utilise him because as you say he doesn't track back.  Enough.

[Villanation]

Some people need to stop throwing their toys out the pram and acting like we're some sort of force these days who should be steam rolling teams like Swansea at home.

Don't know about toys out the pram bit, but I can't agree about taking for granted teams like Swansea, Swansea are no fantastic side as sure as eggs is eggs they will be in the bunch fighting of relegation by the end, yes they play some pretty football but they are no dynamic goal scoring machine of a side, and this was there first win in 10.

We where beaten today by a team that outplayed us at we do best, that is counter attacking with pace and playing with pacey wide players, Villa are a cultured side with players like, Bent, Ireland N'Zogbia, Cuellor, Agbonlahor, top players in the Premiership, we should have won, simple as that and at very least should have got a point, and for Alex McCliesh to say in his post match interview that it was the lads fault to concede so early and to make so many mistakes at the back, then to have them in at half time, do nothing whatsoever about impressing upon them not to concede early in the 2nd for a killer 2nd goal, and when we have done so, turnaround and excuse himself by saying "i can't go out there on the pitch" to stop it, sorry that's just weak excuses.

[villadelph]

If we lose our next two (in the Prem) we could see ourselves in the bottom 5.

 

[old man villa fan]

Warnock...whoops!

It does not get any better does it. I'm not one for scapegoating but he fucked right up, and so soon into the game.
I still can not blame AM. For us to let that goal in and then the next one 3 minutes into the second half is just madness and no manager could prevent it from happening.

It was an individual error but if the manager was instilling a positive attitude in the defenders and central midfield players, Warnock could have quite easily turned, stepped forward and played the ball to the right where both Collins and Cuellar were unmarked.  As it was, he tried to play a lazy lay-off to Dunne.  Even if it had of reached Dunne he would have had Dyer straight on top of him so would have had to either quickly bang it forward or play it back to Guzan who himseld would have been under pressure to kick it long.

We do this all of the time.  Rather than looking to be positive and creative many of our players just look to play it back for somebody else which always seems to end with a long ball up field.  This is down to poor coaching.

Swansea showed us to great effect how to play short passes in the middle of the pitch, whether it be on the edge of their own penalty area or further forwards.  They made football look simple.  Our method of play made our players look simple.

[Brend'Watkins]

Typical Villa, one step forward and a hop skip and a Carl Lewis type leap back.

There really isn't that much wrong with our squad apart from the defense.  There is a big reason why MON after a while and then Houllier didn't have Warnock anywhere near the team.  It's there for all to see and it is costing us game after game.  The horrific effort apart he was pulled this way and that by a championship player.

Even so, Swansea played us all over the park without making our keeper make too many stops.  We didn't trouble them as at 2 - 0 we were never getting back into it with a very well organized outfit in front of us. 

At least AM tried something different when chasing the game.  The crowd seemingly didn't get it.

Why have we become so useless at set pieces?

[Jockey Randall]

Some people need to stop throwing their toys out the pram and acting like we're some sort of force these days who should be steam rolling teams like Swansea at home.

You're daft if you think we shouldn't have dismantled Swans today. Coming off a win at the Bridge Swansea should have been chopped liver.

This is exactly why there's so much negativity around Villa fans at the moment. Too many fans think we've got a better squad than we actually have. The reality is that we're in that group of teams from 7th-20th who are on course to finish exactly where our ability should see us finish. I honestly don't understand where some people think we should be? Challenging teams that have spent millions more than us?