Aston Villa v Q.P.R. Post-Match Thread

[PeterWithe]

The movement first half was none existent, everyone seemed to think it was somebody else's job to work to get into space. N'Zogbia and Warnock ambled down the left, Ireland kept drifting into Keanes space and Hutton was Hutton, one wonderful cross aside. It was infuriating to watch.

[Ian.]

No matter who is in charge at the moment we are stuck with these clowns we call a defence and it is amazing how many individual errors we make. How can you manage or coach these? Its gone beyond a joke now.

[Pete3206]

The usual speculative dinks into the box from Bannan again. I would have put Gardner on.

[Olof's Beard]

This won't be popular but now I have calmed down (and I was fuming after half an hour), I will defend Warnock a smidgen.  The goal was an awful moment and following his skied cross and then the booing of his every touch, I was convinced he would be whipped off at half time for his own good as much as the team's.  But I actually thought he came out and had a very good second half and certainly tried his guts out.  It's no coincidence that he looks a little better away from home.  He's clearly nervous at Villa Park, no blame can really be attached to the fans as he has dropped some clangers on top of some controversial moments last year and he needs replacing, but I can't fault his guts tonight.

We were brilliant 2nd half, regardless of the opposition.  But it's impossible for that front four not to cause problems when in any sort of form.  We are going to miss Keane when he goes, he is a proper leader and inspires those around him to play better.  This side is as capable of producing the best attacking football we have played since the mid 90s if we can get them playing consistently and in the correct formation.  Unfortunately, it's tempered by some woeful defending and potential 2-0 wins are transformed in to high scoring draws and defeats.

We won't go down and as someone mentioned earlier, we might as well just throw caution to the wind and go all out attacking for the rest of the season.  The defensive issues are clearly not going to be resolved this season so perhaps McLeish has realised we might as well have a go.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

We're shit, and carrying too many players to be anything more than a club that will be just too good to get relegated.

If Randy is serious about the Villa, he either has to shit or get off the pot in the summer. We need a massive overhaul of players with nothing less than four new players (all defenders) to move forwards.

Cuellar is a good pro, and likeable fella, he is the best defender we have. Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Hutton are not good enough for the Premiership and need to be got rid of, along with Beye, Heskey and others.

[pauliewalnuts]

The usual speculative dinks into the box from Bannan again. I would have put Gardner on.

He played a marvellous diagonal ball into the box for N'Zogbia, too.

I thought Bannan did well when he came on.

[PeterWithe]

I thought Dunne had a solid game, he needs someone pacy alongside him though, problem is all our Centre Halves seem a bit lead footed.

[pauliewalnuts]

This won't be popular but now I have calmed down (and I was fuming after half an hour), I will defend Warnock a smidgen.  The goal was an awful moment and following his skied cross and then the booing of his every touch, I was convinced he would be whipped off at half time for his own good as much as the team's.  But I actually thought he came out and had a very good second half and certainly tried his guts out.  It's no coincidence that he looks a little better away from home.  He's clearly nervous at Villa Park, no blame can really be attached to the fans as he has dropped some clangers on top of some controversial moments last year and he needs replacing, but I can't fault his guts tonight.

He did better in the second half mainly because he didn't have any defending to do.

Warnock looks fine when he is attacking, and makes some good overlapping runs, but it's really just not good enough to defend as he does.

I feel sorry for the guy, he's clearly gone to shit and is totally devoid of confidence, and that OG tonight was partly caused by Dunne, but fuck me, that really was a surreal thing to do.

[SoccerHQ]

Should've won that.

I thought QPR were one of the three worst teams to visit VP this season after Blackburn and Wigan.

Incredible that it took us 40 minutes to actually work out they weren't actually that good after the usual defensive presents.

I don't agree with booing Warnock but that own goal was high class brain dead muppetry even by his own high standards.

Looking at the positives, Ireland was yet again at the heart of most of our good moves, his ball that set Stan down the right for the second goal.

N'zogbia was also excellent second half, even before the goal. Gave Luke Young a torrid time which isn't an easy thing.

Clark was really poor tonight, would've got Gardner as well as Bannan. Keane was probing but a few things didn't quite come off for him tonight.

And surely one of those 115 handball appeals from the Holte in the 2nd half must have been a pen?

[Grande Pablo]

I was really chuffed when we signed Warnock, but the events of last year still seem to have knocked the stuffing out of him.  He has little confidence, but we also have little options in that position.  Clark was poor at Wolves, so that leaves the untried but promising Baker.

Eck is going to be loyal to Hutton as he was his signing, but Warnock...

[MarkM]

First half was dire apart from the last minute

What Warnock was thinking is beyond me

Second half was better and we had the chances to win it

[Small Rodent]

We are a back 4 and a defensive midfielder away from being a top 6 team (including Keane).

As we are we are a lower mid table outfit.

We'll need that in the summer and a striker. No way will Bent be here next season.

[Olof's Beard]

Warnock was thinking "oh shit".  He is better of defending instinctively at the moment because if you are devoid of confidence, the worst thing to happen is find yourself facing your own goal with the time to panic.  He clearly cares, you could see by the way he played afterwards and he has been a good player at Blackburn, when he first joined us and to be honest for the first couple of months of this season.  He has had it now though and both parties will be better off going their separate ways.

Hutton played well tonight, it's easy to knock it but he set up a goal and put in two or three other excellent crosses.  I don't remember him being troubled defensively either.

[Greg N'Ash]

We are a back 4 and a defensive midfielder away from being a top 6 team (including Keane).

As we are we are a lower mid table outfit.

We'll need that in the summer and a striker. No way will Bent be here next season.

yep. I think he'll be used to pay for the new defence.

[Legion]

We should have won that match. Gifted them two goals and had numerous appeals for handballs turned down and/or ignored. Easily the best team on the pitch, especially the second half. Plus, as annoyed as I was at Warnock's calamitous blunder, I do actually feel sorry for the guy. There was no need for the booing aimed at him. Oh yes, it was bitterly cold.