Southampton v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Stu]

Were going to be like Norwich last season Getting tonked one week and tonking another team the next .

I'll take that now, but I don't think a comparison with Norwich is relevant. Norwich were performing with a settled team that were comfortable with, and knew, Lambert's style of play. I'm a bit concerned that our team are having to 'learn on the job' so to speak, and all the time they're making mistakes and not getting results means that we're running out of time to get to safety.

Obviously, this is ok up to about Christmas time, but if we're still getting tonked like this around January/February, I'm officially going to start to Worry.

[The Situation]

To all the doomdayers out there... We've lost 3 out of 5 yet we are level on points with Stoke and Sunderland who have lost one game between them.

I'd also much rather be us than Sunderland, who had managed, prior to today, a total of five shots on goal across four games.

We've got a manager who is trying to do things the right way. He just needs time.

Sunderland were really poor last week against Liverpool I thought. All their players were running around like crazy men but weren't actually doing anything. Apart from their goal they didnt even get near Liverpools penalty box. Watching them just looked really awkward as it didn't look like I was watching football.

[Tuscans]

Ok, watched the game on stream and here are my thoughts, like anyone cares 

1. That was our first game when from the fisrt whistle we started to look like a MON team with Carew or Heskey upfront trying to feed off long balls. Sorry but it never worked today.
2. Having a narrow midfield four with 2 young, inexperienced full backs to offer width isn't always going to work. Have the days of wingers really gone?
3. We lack a No.10 or someone who plays in between the lines. What attack we did muster was too easy for Southampton too defend. Ireland could be that but went off for some mysterious reason.
4. The back four of Lowton, Vlaar, Clark and Bennett need plenty of time to gel, including all cup games in my opinion. I did'nt see much of a unit for most of the game today.
5. A team in transistion that will take maybe 2 seasons to get the way PL wants them to play. I can see us being safe, winning a few great games, loosing a few stinkers....but it was the same under MON in his first season.

[Toronto Villa]

To all the doomdayers out there... We've lost 3 out of 5 yet we are level on points with Stoke and Sunderland who have lost one game between them.

I'd also much rather be us than Sunderland, who had managed, prior to today, a total of five shots on goal across four games.

We've got a manager who is trying to do things the right way. He just needs time.

I'm not sure that Sunderland stat is true, unless you mean on target?

They had 2 shots on target today, so he likely meant on target. Either way MON has them playing counter attack in every game.

[Proposition Joe]

I take some comfort from the fact that all 4 goals were gifted to them by our defence. If they were carving us open, then it'd be more worrying.  I think we just switched off for a half, which hopefully won't happen regularly.

[Toronto Villa]

Were going to be like Norwich last season Getting tonked one week and tonking another team the next .

I'll take that now, but I don't think a comparison with Norwich is relevant. Norwich were performing with a settled team that were comfortable with, and knew, Lambert's style of play. I'm a bit concerned that our team are having to 'learn on the job' so to speak, and all the time they're making mistakes and not getting results means that we're running out of time to get to safety.

Obviously, this is ok up to about Christmas time, but if we're still getting tonked like this around January/February, I'm officially going to start to Worry.

Stu, as hard as he tried the utter twat who managed us last season couldn't relegate us. There is no need to worry.

[hawkeye]

We all knew that turning The Villa around was a massive job, we are not in transition we are in experimentation.
At least in lambert we have got a bloke that will work hard and try to create something. That does not mean it is not going to be a really tough season.

My real concern is that the Midfield looks incredibly light weight.

[sonlyme]

Awful to watch today.

The inclusion of Benteke with Bent in a narrow 442 left a big gap between the midfield and the forwards as Southampton packed the middle and pushed their full backs on.

Not one for the blame game - we just had the wrong shape against a very motivated and determined side.  We couldn't hold the ball because we didn't have enough shirts in the right areas.

Lambert will have seen this and will no doubt address it.

We have no natural width and perhaps Bent and Benteke are currently too similar.  Ireland, like everyone else looked undercooked - but didn't we notice the difference once he went off?   No link from mid to front at all then.  Given our current squad some variation of 451 would seem our best bet - rotating the strikers as needed.

We were bad in the first half - got lucky - and then got overwhelmed in second half.  Watching Southampton's full backs play simple one two's to penetrate our box was not good.

Shape wrong today.

Bad day at the office - next!

[Toronto Villa]

We all knew that turning The Villa around was a massive job, we are not in transition we are in experimentation.
At least in lambert we have got a bloke that will work hard and try to create something. That does not mean it is not going to be a really tough season.

My real concern is that the Midfield looks incredibly light weight.

I'm convinced our midfield shopping in January will involve someone a bit harder and bigger that can still play a bit. All the lads will work hard but on occasion a bit of extra steel is nice.

[London Villan]

Apart from Bent and Ireland how many top league starts have the starting 11 had? 100 between them? It's a very inexperienced team that will take time to gel. We need to stick by them more than ever this season, because for every Swansea there will be days like this.

UTV!

[ktvillan]

Lambert said on Sky that we were unlucky to lose Ireland which indicates he was injured.

[The Situation]

To all the doomdayers out there... We've lost 3 out of 5 yet we are level on points with Stoke and Sunderland who have lost one game between them.

Stoke played Man City last week and Chelsea away today.  Sunderland have played a game less than us. 

Lies, damned lies and statistics........

EDIT:  In addition we have played 2 of last seasons Championship sides and lost to both of them conceding 5 (FIVE) goals.

And we played Swansea last week who were in 2nd place, Newcastle who were so close to finishing 4th last season and Everton who have started the season very good looking like a top 5 team.

And Stoke are just a limited team and have to rely on a gimmick to be of a threat to the opposition. They got battered by City last week and they probably had about 50 passes  strung together and 3 attempts at goal against Chelsea. Stoke are the same every fucking season and they don't have a high ceiling.

[Billy Walker]

Keep the faith.  This type of thing is going to happen this season.

[Jimbo]

Garbage. But, onwards and upwards.

[Holtenderinthesky]

To all the doomdayers out there... We've lost 3 out of 5 yet we are level on points with Stoke and Sunderland who have lost one game between them.

Stoke played Man City last week and Chelsea away today.  Sunderland have played a game less than us. 

Lies, damned lies and statistics........

EDIT:  In addition we have played 2 of last seasons Championship sides and lost to both of them conceding 5 (FIVE) goals.

So by that token, Fulham and West Brom will be in the CL next season right?

No.  And why do you feel the need to comment on my every post.  Yes, I tend to err on the more pessimitic (realistic) side of things but that is no reason to constantly bash everything I say.  I find you to be ridiculously, unrealistically, overly positive when it is obvious that things are clearly wrong.  I don't, however, take it upon myself to quote you every 5 minutes.