Aston Villa v Swansea City Post-Match Thread

[Chris Smith]

Can you name me another team that when they are 2-0 down allows the opposition goalkeeper to roll the ball to the RB who in turn passes it to the centre half who in turn passes it to the LB. Whilst our lone striker meanders after the ball like a headless chicken whilst every single other player is in our own half.

They do that because they want us to go chasing the ball so that they can then pass it around us. It's such an advantage when you have a keeper who is comfortable on the ball rather than one who is shit scared of it like Guzan. If we commit players to try to press that leaves gaps elsewhere.

[Concrete John]

Can you name me another team that when they are 2-0 down allows the opposition goalkeeper to roll the ball to the RB who in turn passes it to the centre half who in turn passes it to the LB. Whilst our lone striker meanders after the ball like a headless chicken whilst every single other player is in our own half.

They do that because they want us to go chasing the ball so that they can then pass it around us. It's such an advantage when you have a keeper who is comfortable on the ball rather than one who is shit scared of it like Guzan. If we commit players to try to press that leaves gaps elsewhere.

At 0-0 they are, but at 0-2 up they're doing it to waste up time and take the sting out of te game - not that we put much 'sting' into it in the first place.  We needed to go 4-4-2 and try to stop this much earlier than we did.

[Gulf Villa]

The one thing the manager can not do is allow for players making school boy errors, not once but twice. Yes Warnocks was so bad, a professional footballer should have his wages docked, but Guzan again at the start of the second half, gives all the impetus back to them.

 This is nothing new to AM's side, MON's teams were often guilty of it. AM maybe has to do what MON did do, just let the wasters waste in the stiffs, or better still get rid at whatever cost, because there is definatly something rotting away at the inside of our great club and has been for about 3 years.

Then we see time and time again, the defence being given the ball back by the midfield, mainly Petrov and anyone with one eye can see they are not comfortable with it, resulting in panic hoof or lets put another player in danger, as long as it is not me.

When we have the ball in midfield, then we hit another problem, the lack of movement by what I would say is our 4 attacking outlets,the 2 central options Gabby and Bent, do not offer enough and please do not say that Gabby running the channels is an outlet, it is normally not, because he has then taken space from one of our other outlets, our wide player, or dragged over yet another defender, to then not worry about Gabby and double up on the wide option. So very little movement will mean the likes of Petrov has the excuse to move backwards yet again, back to square one.

The other worrying thing is and has been highlighted by others, and was again in evidence with Huttons assault on Vermallen, Dunnes last night and the general lack of having a player or players on the pitch, to get hold of the individual player, calm him down and just as important with Warnocks and Guzanz fuck up, to either give them both barrels or a crumb of comfort, Petrov does not do it and he at the moment holds the armband.
   
AM play the kids, because it is your more experienced players that are letting you down.

[Gulf Villa]

Just read my post again  and believe it or not it is not meant as a rant about Petrov, as he has been a brighter light than most this season.
Oh my god, maybe thats the most worrying part.

[He wears a magic hat]

Can you name me another team that when they are 2-0 down allows the opposition goalkeeper to roll the ball to the RB who in turn passes it to the centre half who in turn passes it to the LB. Whilst our lone striker meanders after the ball like a headless chicken whilst every single other player is in our own half.

They do that because they want us to go chasing the ball so that they can then pass it around us. It's such an advantage when you have a keeper who is comfortable on the ball rather than one who is shit scared of it like Guzan. If we commit players to try to press that leaves gaps elsewhere.

Yes I fully understand that and maybe thats Ok to a certain extent especially whilst the scoreline is level or we are away from home. But when you are at home and 2-0 down then surely the onus is on us to change the way we are set up and at least try to put them under some kind of pressure. Ten men in our own half whilst they tip tap along their own penalty area aint gonna change the outcome and allows them to kill time and the game.

Surely we could have played a highline pushed Gabby and Nzog on to their full back and aleast tried to stop them playing in their own half. Put them under pressure and win the ball in their half may have gave us a chance of getting back into the game

[TonyD]

Good post Gulf.

[Rick_avfc]

Im still trying to figure out why Guzan kept running backwards when the ball was passed to him! 
He should have run towards it and do what we do best HOOF it!

[pauliewalnuts]

Can you name me another team that when they are 2-0 down allows the opposition goalkeeper to roll the ball to the RB who in turn passes it to the centre half who in turn passes it to the LB. Whilst our lone striker meanders after the ball like a headless chicken whilst every single other player is in our own half.

They do that because they want us to go chasing the ball so that they can then pass it around us. It's such an advantage when you have a keeper who is comfortable on the ball rather than one who is shit scared of it like Guzan. If we commit players to try to press that leaves gaps elsewhere.

Yes I fully understand that and maybe thats Ok to a certain extent especially whilst the scoreline is level or we are away from home. But when you are at home and 2-0 down then surely the onus is on us to change the way we are set up and at least try to put them under some kind of pressure. Ten men in our own half whilst they tip tap along their own penalty area aint gonna change the outcome and allows them to kill time and the game.

Surely we could have played a highline pushed Gabby and Nzog on to their full back and aleast tried to stop them playing in their own half. Put them under pressure and win the ball in their half may have gave us a chance of getting back into the game

The most frustrating thing was that we didn't try to close them down and get the ball off them.

Against Arsenal, we did, and we gave ourselves the chance to play more. Against Swansea, we didn't.

They all looked suspiciously like they'd been on the piss the night before.

[Irish villain]

My New Year's resolution is working. I have remained very calm in the wake of this defeat and haven't posted anything I'll regret. If we turn in another shocker in our next game, I will probably revert to type.

[Concrete John]

Im still trying to figure out why Guzan kept running backwards when the ball was passed to him! 
He should have run towards it and do what we do best HOOF it!

Screamed to me of a lack of confidence in his kicking ability.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It's also been pointed out that they pmayets a very fluid passing style as though that s what we should be doing. The point is though they didn't just turn up fully formed playing that way it's a result of continuity of approach from successive managers and them acquiring the players to do it.

Very good point. I'd imagine yesterday's performance was the accumulation of almost five years progressive football coaching at Swansea, from the young Martinez to Paulo Sousa and now to the experienced, Mourinho trained, Brendan Rodgers.

That's a vision the Swansea board should be congratulated for and ours should take note.

[Rick_avfc]

Im still trying to figure out why Guzan kept running backwards when the ball was passed to him! 
He should have run towards it and do what we do best HOOF it!

Screamed to me of a lack of confidence in his kicking ability.

Can I just say in Guzan's defence that he is very left footed but players kept on playing it to his right foot.  The clearance for the goal was probably about as far as you could expect him to ping it with his standing foot.

Thats fine but had he ran towards the ball and hoof it one, the ball would still have gone that little bit further than when he ran backwards to give a weak clearence which resulted in the 2nd goal.  Im not at all blaming Guzan fully for the 2nd goal as it was crap defending again but he needs to show some confidence when put under that pressure.  surely you practice using your weaker foot in training?

[Fernando Partridge]

The fact we did not concede a corner let alone concede from a corner is a plus. Whilst Clarks development to play another match in premier league are the major positives can take from that match.

I think when the recording of this match is played back to the players - Warnock,  Cuellar, Dunne Guzan and Collins can see where they went wrong and that they will do better in next league match.

Warnock like the whole defence was immense against Chelsea not many players have kept Daniel Sturridge quiet this season. I think the loss yesterday shows we are not quite there yet but with a few tweaks, intergration of up and coming players and shrewd moves then we will certainly finish top half most similar to last season.

Thats where we are at the moment

[Rudy Can't Fail]

They all looked suspiciously like they'd been on the piss the night before.

Indeed. I asked on the Match thread if Warnock was pissed. It was a serious question.

[olaftab]

Can you name me another team that when they are 2-0 down allows the opposition goalkeeper to roll the ball to the RB who in turn passes it to the centre half who in turn passes it to the LB. Whilst our lone striker meanders after the ball like a headless chicken whilst every single other player is in our own half.

They do that because they want us to go chasing the ball so that they can then pass it around us.  If we commit players to try to press that leaves gaps elsewhere.

Yes and there is no way out bright lads were going to fall into that trap and risk losing the game 3-0.