Aston Villa v Norwich City Post-Match Thread

[Pete3206]

Bannan needs to start

Christ, is this what we're reduced to?

[Californian Villain]

Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.

One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.

And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.

Yes. Nothing debatable about it, hence his apology on twitter.

[Ads]

Bannan needs to start

Christ, is this what we're reduced to?

Bannan and Ireland keep the ball and Herd is physical. What other options do we have?

[barrysleftfoot]

  Just got back, we are in trouble.A poor performance against a team who will get relegated, and we won't be far off either, and i am starting to worry about PL.

  Why does Albrighton get anywhere near the 1st team?I am starting to really dislike him as a player.

  Why does Gabby play?He never looks like scoring, makes no runs, doesn't know how to play off Benteke, doesn't hold the ball up well enough. Shouldn't be in the team ahead off Bent, Weimann or N'zog.

  A midfield of KEA, Delph, Holman, and Albrighton at home to Norwich.How many chances did they create, are likely to create.Not good enough.

  Bennett......brainless, what a stupid thing to do, couldn't see Norwich scoring until he got sent off, he lost us 2 valuable points.

 Positives, Guzan, Vlaar were excellent, Benteke looks a good prospect.Thats it.


  I think we are in serious trouble, PL confrontational approach to our better footballers/bigger earners , worries me, we lack creativity, give the ball away far too easily, have no confidence, and not a great deal of ability.We are going backwards.Whats happened to the Holman, KEA, Lowton who played against Newcastle?, because those on the pitch today were poor imitations of them.

  I'll probably expect us to beat Sunderland, but i have to say we are a very poor team atm.

[ktvillan]

It's still frustrating rather than depressing for me.

We've seen the blueprint: Newcastle away and Swansea at home. Someone will tell me if I'm wrong but Albrighton and Delph didn't play in those games - was it Bannan and Ireland? We pressed well, we passed well. Guzan and Benteke have been big positives since then, so we should be improving, but we've gone backwards in midfield and from the outside looking in it seems a really simple problem to solve - team selection.

We don't know what happens in training, but on the evidence of the actual games Lambert should by now be coming to some pretty obvious conclusions.

Such as:

Guzan keeps his place;

Lowton keeps his place;

Clark: decision to make because Baker has done well;

Bannan and Ireland should be back in for Delph and Albrighton;

Weimann should either be in the team, or first attacking substitute.

Benteke starts.

Gabby/Bent: I'd pick Gabby as a wide left striker/winger, balanced by Holman's industry on the other side. Bent or Gabby does not have an obvious solution for me, because they divide opinion with us, so it's easy to imagine that Lambert might be in two minds on this one.

Sorry for rambling, but as I say, I'm a bit frustrated that PL doesn't seem to be learning from our performances - good, bad and indifferent.

Agree with much of your post Percy, because a lot of it does seem fairly obvious,  but you and I will always differ over Gabby.   I think he lacks the guile, movement or touch to be anything else than the main striker,  and for me he is at best third in line for that behind Bent and Benteke. Others seem all too willing to try and shoehorn him into the side anywhere they can.  I think he's had enough chances and it hasn't really worked.   Weimann's movement could offer a very good link between midfield and the main striker, and he seems to be the one forward we have who would be capable of creating his own chances.   For me the choice should be between Bent/Benteke plus Weimann in support.

[eastie]

Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.

One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.

And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.

Yes. Nothing debatable about it, hence his apology on twitter.

Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.

[Fin Feds Dad]

If TSM had picked that side, made those substitutions and served up that shite - after last weeks shite at Fulham - this site would have gone into meltdown.

Honeymoon is well and truly over - I am very worried.

[Mister E]

I've just driven the 125 miles home and had some time to ponder on the game. Here goes:
- Guzan and Herd were the pick of the back five.
- Bennett was obviously targeted by Norwich, and found wanting. He was under pressure all game and got turned a few times in the first half. I thought he was 'mugged' for the second yellow: NC's Bennett ran into him, the ref didn't see it but the linesman flagged for the free kick. I don't understand how Dowd can brandish the yellow for it - particularly since he failed to do so in subsequent similar offences.
- KEA's game was a mixed bag, but too many passes astray and not enough intelligent play.
- Albie: generally anonymous. Not good enough.
- Delph: poor - poor decision-making and poor choice of passes; except for two sublime passes early in the second half.
- Holman gave us loads of effort but not alot of guile.
- Gabby:apart from his set-up for the  goal, anonymous.
- Benteke: there's much more to come from this lad.

I didn't understand why Bent was brought on in a 10-man situation. Mad.

We have to tighten up the central midfield and bring in people with more assuredness on the ball as well as intelligence. I'd be playing Clark and Herd alongside KEA as a MF trio, with Weimann and Holman supporting Benteke upfront.
I have to say, I find it strange that BBannan has not featured recently: we've played our best games with his involvement.

[eastie]

  Just got back, we are in trouble.A poor performance against a team who will get relegated, and we won't be far off either, and i am starting to worry about PL.

  Why does Albrighton get anywhere near the 1st team?I am starting to really dislike him as a player.

  Why does Gabby play?He never looks like scoring, makes no runs, doesn't know how to play off Benteke, doesn't hold the ball up well enough. Shouldn't be in the team ahead off Bent, Weimann or N'zog.

  A midfield of KEA, Delph, Holman, and Albrighton at home to Norwich.How many chances did they create, are likely to create.Not good enough.

  Bennett......brainless, what a stupid thing to do, couldn't see Norwich scoring until he got sent off, he lost us 2 valuable points.

 Positives, Guzan, Vlaar were excellent, Benteke looks a good prospect.Thats it.


  I think we are in serious trouble, PL confrontational approach to our better footballers/bigger earners , worries me, we lack creativity, give the ball away far too easily, have no confidence, and not a great deal of ability.We are going backwards.Whats happened to the Holman, KEA, Lowton who played against Newcastle?, because those on the pitch today were poor imitations of them.

  I'll probably expect us to beat Sunderland, but i have to say we are a very poor team atm.

Agree with almost all of that , I don't however expect us to beat Sunderland.

[PeterWithesShin]

Cheers for the replies on the red card.

[Mister E]

Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.

Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and  - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.

[curiousorange]

Lambert could do worse than playing the team we put up against Tranmere, but with Benteke starting up front. Whatever he does, he needs to stick with the same eleven players. Mixing and matching isn't working.

I was there today. It was shit.

[Californian Villain]

He certainly could do worse...just look at today

[SamTheMouse]

Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.

I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.

Well, for a start he's not Dutch.

He was born and raised in Enschede, which I believe is in the Netherlands. Making him Dutch.

[silhillvilla]

this is as bad as the Billy McNeil era.
Lambert looks out of his depth to me.