Aston Villa v Norwich City Post-Match Thread

[Risso]

The Swansea and Newcastle games are increasingly looking like blips, like the 3-1 victory over Chelsea was last year.

[bertlambshank]

You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.

No i'm not. It really is very simple. Again, I don't care if people think we are great, average or shit. What I do care is how they speak and/or address people who have a different opinion. Using the terms "mindless" "sick of them" etc is not tolerated.

So saying some people just believe it is ok then?

Well yes, no insults and amazingly, some people just do believe we will be fine. They don't necessarily have to justify why or even know why they believe it. Same as some people believe we'll struggle to stay up. 

Agreed,anyway off to the fridge for the first beer of the day.After today's performance I deserve one.

[Somniloquism]

I didn't get the booing when we took Agbonlahor off, that's exactly what I'd have done we can't afford to play 3 at the back nor 3 in midfield, you've only got to see the chances Norwich created and 3 at the back would have been suicide. What does concern me is that if it wasn't for Guzan we'd have lost! Defence parted like the red sea on more than one occasion. Midfield create nothing and Albrighton and Delph were passengers. The Bent substitution was baffling. Where has the Newcastle style performances gone?

I think you stated the reason for the booing then. Most here reckon Gabby should have been dropped back to the wing and Marc taken off so I reckon the crowd must have had the same inkling.

[Witton Warrior]

Have had a couple of hours to thaw out and reflect on the match today (as well as a particularly good Russian vodka) and have to say that I honestly think we would have won that match with 11 men.

We (the 4 of us who went up together) started counting how many pieces of "luck" (eg a rebound goes to your own side) both sides had and it was extraordinary how many times the ball fell for Norwich.

I agree with posters above that starting with a decent midfield is a must - reckon we will beat Sunderland if we do.

Where the next home win comes from I cannot tell...

[damon loves JT]

Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.

[Witton Warrior]

Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.

Today was not the usual though was it? The sending off changed everything. While I actually agree that "good" displays are few and far between I am coming round to the opinion that today was an aberration. Freezing one's balls off does give quite a negative slant to a day ;-)

[damon loves JT]

I hope you're right. I don't like to be negative.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.

Today was not the usual though was it? The sending off changed everything. While I actually agree that "good" displays are few and far between I am coming round to the opinion that today was an aberration. Freezing one's balls off does give quite a negative slant to a day ;-)

I thought the performance was pretty wretched right up to the sending off, then got worse. So in that regard I think you're right :-)

[PeterWithesShin]

First proper cold match of the season always sucks the big fat one regardless of the result/performance. You know that the odds are high you aren't going to be warm down the Villa for a few months.

[gervilla]

I have to say, we have a few players who look like they're not going to be good enough at this level.

Delph, for example, who seems congenitally incapable of getting forward, and seems to specialise in turning around, shielding the ball and promptly running straight into an opponent and losing it.

That, plus the fact he always seems to be trying to get himself sent off.

Then you have to look at the likes of Albrighton and wonder what he's supplying in return for his millionaire lifestyle. Not to mention Gabby.

Delph has a near 90% pass completion rate so far this season. I was surprised as well.

Edited to add: Albrighton is a massive worry for me right now. What happened to the bloke who burst into the first team?



I can just about remember the buzz that used go up around VP when the ball used go out to young "Super Marc" as he scampered down the wing terrorizing defenders to whip in a beautiful cross....what has happened indeed. He is unrecognizable from that player these days. Such a shame. The new Beckam me bollocks.

[ROBBO]

It's not the new players that are letting us down apart from Bennet,most are better than what we had.Ron and Benteke are earning their spot, the problem is that there are no quality players around them. There is only one way to solve the problem and that's to spend and get rid of all the young players that many have thought were our future. We desperately need experienced heads in the side.

[villan from luton]

I see someone saying Delph has a 90% pass rate, I would say 98% of them are to his left back 5 yards away

[MattW]

The substitutions showed that Lambert is struggling a little with his management of Bent. I suspect that Lambert doesn't particularly rate/want to play Bent and would sell him if he could in January. Leaving him out of the first XI doesn't seem to motivate Bent. But a moping Bent is bad for team harmony and brings bad media coverage at the club. Also makes it more difficult to shift him if he's sitting on the bench.

So he's giving Bent minutes to placate him and keep negative pressure off the club. Benteke looked miffed to come off, but took it well. He played really well, and we would have been more dangerous if Weimann was buzzing around him.

Perhaps Lambert needs to take his Bent situation head-on: state that he needs to keep his attitude up and work his way back into the team. Play the team on form; ensure the players know that they need to be in form to play.

[1874]

Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.

[villan from luton]

1874, only saw the first half, but thought Gabby was useless