Southampton v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Clark W Griswold]

First time i've watched a full match this season so might be wrong in some cases but;

El Ehmadi & Holman looked like a couple of powder puff headless chickens, which kind of summed up the performance overall.
Vlaar looked like Collins, albeit better technically.

I can say the following with more confidence having seen plenty of them over the last 2 years;
Lichaj and Bannan look like a couple of arrogant pricks who think they are far better than they are. Both should be well down the pecking order after today.

On a positive note;
Benteke showed signs of being a really good prospect.
Ireland was our best player first half, not sure where the negativity about his performance came from. May miss him if he's out for a while.
Glad the manager saw Lichaj and Bannan for the dross they are and subbed them.
Bent scored.
We did try to play football, it just rarely came off.

Can't believe we lost 4-1 to that shite, must be the least convincing 4-1 of all time. We do need to play a lot better mind.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think that's a bit harsh on Lichaj in terms of how he sees himself, but I agree, he had a nightmare today.

[adrenachrome]

A nightmare to the extent that the 180 degrees mentioned in a recent thread title might be changed to 360 degrees. It is one thing to expect volatility in this, our third season of transition, but this was an unmitigated disaster against a team devoid of confidence and who, in  all likelihood, will be relegated.

I am sure PL will learn a hell of a lot from the abject performance in the second half, and I fervently hope that one thing will be not to play 2 strikers away from home. 

On a lighter note, we hooked up with the Southampton fans we met in the Vine the year when the Villa fans were chanting "Beatie  for Villa". All hail the Saints ale.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The thing is, I know that Plumbutt will learn a lot from this defeat and will find a way to correct the mistakes.
I can see us being very up and down until the second half of the season really, then the consistency will come, especially if
he is allowed a bit of cash to fill in the places where he thinks we are weak.
Worrying capitulation in the second half but we'll win as many as we lose from now on in I reckon, even against the better sides.

For a Tamworth supporter, Dave, you talk a hell of a lot of sense. Did you draw again today - last minute equaliser?

[Dave Cooper please]

The thing is, I know that Plumbutt will learn a lot from this defeat and will find a way to correct the mistakes.
I can see us being very up and down until the second half of the season really, then the consistency will come, especially if
he is allowed a bit of cash to fill in the places where he thinks we are weak.
Worrying capitulation in the second half but we'll win as many as we lose from now on in I reckon, even against the better sides.

For a Tamworth supporter, Dave, you talk a hell of a lot of sense. Did you draw again today - last minute equaliser?

Thanks.
And no, Tamuff won 1-0 with a goal after 43 seconds. Up to eighth, heady days!

[ROBBO]

In the first five minutes you could see the players were playing to different instructions than against Swansea, there were more punts out of defence in that time than there was for the whole game the previous week. I can see where Lambert might have thought that we could monster their defence with the two big guys up front but i think the plan failed miserably. Westwood was a poor replacement for Ireland after half time and looked well off the pace and i'm not sure that having two players up front with identical games will be a success. Players that shone last week went missing yesterday, inconsistancy is something we will have to live with until the team settles i guess but it did shock me to see how disorganised we became after they scored.Love him or hate him i would have Dunne beside Ron when he's fit.

[*shellac*]

My old man used to say, "You took a knock, had a fall, you got to pick yourself up.  A kind pair of hands to lift you up is most you can expect from someone, much have to depend on yourself.  No one will laugh at your determination."

I think my old man is Adkins.

All week he has been saying their season starts against us, and we just let them have their way.

Our season officially starts with the game against stripeyfilth.

[willywombat]

Yep, me too. I would probably have Baker ahead of Clarke at centre back until Dunne gets back

[brian green]

Having had that pivotal result on my mind all night I have come to the conclusion that it is Paul Lambert who is the work in progress not the team.   It is he who has to develop into his full potential.   A four goal second half capitulation against banker relegation candidates is symptomatic of much more than some players having an off day.   How the manager contrives the recovery from that humiliation is the first real test of his ability.

The road back to where we want to be looks much longer, rockier and steeper this morning.

[onje_villa]

I think the reality check is that players that look so assured last week were clueless yesterday.
How good was Lowton last week? Anonymous yesterday. Ditto Holman.

This does not however mean they're all crap. As Brian points out Lambert needs to learn too, don't change tactics from game to game with a young team who will find it tough just getting used one of tactic alone.

[Bottom Right 89]

Unfortunately we will have days like Swansea at home and then there will be horror shows like second half yesterday and first half Everton, these are early days for an inexperienced team. One thing you can say is that we controlled the game for 45 minutes and had chances to go two up and been out of sight by the time Southampton scored, its a shame Ireland had to go off and force Lambert to switch the midfield. Have faith in the manager, it will come together in the end.

[Salsa Party Animal]

It would be interesting to see outcome if we play similar game last week and Ireland is fit to play 2nd half. We can't just change the system as other team will take advantage.  But Lambert will learn a lot about the game and team. Sometime you got to take one step back to go two step forward.

[TheTimVilla]

Having had that pivotal result on my mind all night I have come to the conclusion that it is Paul Lambert who is the work in progress not the team.   It is he who has to develop into his full potential.   A four goal second half capitulation against banker relegation candidates is symptomatic of much more than some players having an off day.   How the manager contrives the recovery from that humiliation is the first real test of his ability.


The road back to where we want to be looks much longer, rockier and steeper this morning.

Agreed. For example, how does a player fracture his arm at halftime? I didn't see any first half incident when Ireland might have done it and he's not exactly the type to play through the pain barrier.

[myf]

anyone else think the away shirt could be a problem for us? i struggled to make out our players against west ham and seemed to blend in with the pitch again today

[claret and blue blood]

Just forced myself to watch football first extended highlights. Ouch ! We fell away very badly second half, As much as Ireland can seem frustrating we were much better when he was on the pitch.Mitigating circumstances are the obvious ones of a young team playing together for the first time in some cases.We can't accept the Swansea performances (who incidentally looked as bad as we did against Everton )and think we are great then after yesterday think we are no hopers.
What we have to do is stay behind the team and keep faith in Lambert's underlying impression that ultimately he will sort us out consistently. By the way we are bloody lucky to have this chance in the Premier this season ! We should be down with our equally depressed colleagues from across the city !