Aston Villa v Norwich City Post-Match Thread

[E I Adio]

According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.

We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.

Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.

I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.

I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.

EI - where is the denial mate? We were shite, Norwich were shite, we had a player sent off and they equalised but couldn't win it.
I was there and saw the awfulness that is AVFC 2012...

Simply that I don't believe that the sending off had any significant bearing on the result. The reality is that without Brad's tremendous form, we would have lost comfortably to what after all is a very poor side. Rather than bemoan the fact that we didn't win because possibly our worst player was sent off, I think it's better that people should acknowledge the fact that we were outplayed for long periods, rather than pretend that we were just unlucky not to win. Which we clearly weren't.

I said at the start of this thread that the midfield today was as bad as I've seen since the sixties. Now that I've had time to reflect I cannot see any reason to change my mind.

[PeterWithesShin]

All but one of those saves came after we were down to 10 men. That was their only decent chance in nearly an hour of 11 v 11. That's probably why some feel the sending off was a turning point.

[Karl Bridges]

Glad I chose to do overtime instead. Watched the first half on lunch and tried to catch what I could of the second half. The Bent substitution was crazy, going down to 9 men by choice was hugely worrying. Let's hope for an Everton style recovery after what is a horrendous start.

[Brian Taylor]

To Paul Lambert

You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!

[adrenachrome]

I hate these early kick offs at VP: the fans and the team seem to be mired in lethargy for the first half. Even when we scored, the celebrations were relatively muted. 

The first half, apart from 2 moves, one resulting in a our superbly taken goal, was disappointing to say the least. I thought we were looking good in the second half before Bennet's dismissal, but after that we were dismal. The narrow midfield or diamond with Delph as the holding player is not working: the young inexperienced fullbacks are being exposed and we are being overpowered in the middle of the pitch.

As Arthur Daley was wont to say, it's all coming on top, Terry. 

[supertom]

Right, game digested. Not very good in all. First half we were pretty comfortable and looked good value for the lead. I think we had enough to see the game out, perhaps grab another. Unfortunately Bennett got himself sent off. We're a shit side, lets be frank. I mean Norwich are too and yesterday looked very much like a game between two dross teams. We struggle enough with 11 players, so going down to 10 was always going to be an even bigger struggle. The goal was inevitable really, they put us under a lot of pressure. Far too many needless fouls too. Silly freekicks given away. We did it a lot last season and we're still doing it, need to cut it out. Bennett got two yellows with needless, reckless challenges he didn't need to make. Schoolboy errors.

Guzan- 8 good game. Made some good catches and punches and a very good safe from Holt. Could have lost the game if not for the Goose.
Lowton- 5 Poor. Struggled against the Norwich width.
Vlaar- 6 Did okay, but for me doesn't command an area just yet. That might come, but he's struggling a little keeping such a young back line together. A big onus when he himself is stepping up to the Prem. Plays it dangerously physical with the attackers too. He's gonna give away Pens if he's not careful.
Herd- 7 Thought he stepped into CH very well. Made some great challenges and clearences. I like Herd, he always comes off the pitch having given his all. Perhaps we should sign a few more Aussies. Pushed his luck a little. Had Bennett not already been off, Herd may have seen red for persisent fouling.
Bennett- 4 Poor. Bad decision making, offered nothing in attack and was suspect defensively. No qualms about the sending off. He fouled persisently and could have gone off for an earlier silly challenge. He'd been warned. There's no excuse for these silly fouls but he's not the only guilty party.
Albrighton- 4 Poor. Doesn't have the ability and more importantly, stamina for this league. He always looks dead after 60 minutes IMO. Offered nothing and why, after 3 subs he was still on the pitch I don't know.
Delph- 6 Did okay but as we've all noticed, he's no holding player, nor is he a Scholes who can sit deep and ping perfect 40 yrd passes for fun. Let him attack more, use his pace otherwise he's not good enough. I'd play Herd in his place next game.
KEA- 6 I think he's our best all round midfielder, but I still think he's pretty average. He needs a decent holding player next to him and perhaps he'll be more effective pushed forward more. Can't tackle so he's not gonna be our anchor.
Holman- 7 110% as always. Ran himself into the ground. The only one in mid who really wanted to be adventurous.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Benteke- 7 Scored, looked a threat. Looked lost when we went a man down. Inexperience at this level, but then again IMO, he should have been sacrificed, and not Gabby. Or Gab should have been left on with him.

Lichaj- 5 looked poor and suspect against pace.
Bent- 5 Showed good willingness to work but that's about it. Not his fault as we were defended for most of his time on the pitch.
Weimann- 6 Desire almost got him half a chance.

Lambert for me got it wrong with the tactical switch. Watching the game the line up suggest we'd play 4-2-3-1. Wasn't the case of course. Standard 4-4-2 really and again too narrow. Albrighton kept wide but offered nothing so there was no width again. Albrighton should have been first man off with the tactical change. His legs were going and he was poor. Gabby's team play had been good and his pace and hold up play would have been a good outlet against Norwich on the counter. We could have alleviated a lot of pressure.
Quite clearly though we're too inexperience and there's not enough quality, especially midfield. The sending off killed us as I thought Norwich would struggle to score whilst 11 v 11. Poor game with two crap sides though. We'll struggle over the next fortnight and this was a must win.
I hope Bennett got plenty of wet towel treatment last night. Foolish, schoolboy defending. We may as well bring Warnock back if the lad is gonna do that. He needs to learn quickly though.

[eastie]

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.

I agree , Delph, Ireland, gabby, nzogbia,albrighton, bannan have all had their runs in the side and chances to impress and all have failed to grasp the place up for grabs.

[brontebilly]

To be honest I think Lambert has got himself into a mess tactically. To be fair he has given all the players chances but he is trying without success a diamond formation in midfield. This has exposed our two novice full backs, starved our forwards of service and now we are swapping out players willy nilly without success. The diamond must go.

However we lack genuine wide players in the squad. Albrighton unfortunately is nowhere near good enough at the moment and likely never will be. Bannan and Ireland havent impressed when they have played there. Nzogbia our £10m wideman has been poor at the club but is probably out best bet. Gabby on the wing is depressing but needs must maybe.

Ive found strange Lambert's reluctance to give Herd a chance in the centre of the park strange. Far from a worldbeater but gives us presence and bite in there. Could also see him getting a few goals for us. Next to him Id play Ireland who is creating precious little so Id withdraw him to a deeper role like he did to good effect at the end of last season. For me, Bent must start and Benteke has done enough to start with him.
Id have to question what kind of pre season we went through considering the shambles of a team we have.
Id set the team up something like
--------------Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett
----------Herd, Ireland--------
Nzogbia----------------Gabby
             Bent, Benteke

[eastie]

We were rubbish before the sending off, and rubbish after it.

The only positive is that Norwich - who largely played us off the park - were not good enough to take all three points.

Someone said the other day that there's not much wrong with this team that two wins wouldn't fix. I can see the truth in that, the problem is I can't even see us winning one game let alone two

We have won one of our last 19 league games and 3 of the last 28.

That's truly fucking awful.

Hi Paulie

I thought both teams were rubbish and have to politely disagree about being "played off the park" - Norwich had possesion but were as shite with the ball as we were. Grant Holt is a cheating big lump and than fuck we didn't sign him!

I absolutely agree about where the wins will come from and that this is the worst run I can rememeber

Got to agree with Paulie here, I thought Norwich were the better team by a distance , even when we had 11 players and our goal was a bit against the run of play- we were a very poor side .

[eastie]

I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did.  Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?

This thought also crossed my mind - it was as if he knew bent would do nothing and look bad if he brought him on to replace benteke with 10 men- a very bad decision.

[ROBBO]

Two things worry me most, the first is the energy and closing down of the opposition has disappeared we are playing the ball sideways and backwards rarely forward, the second is posters who keep calling for Bannon to be in the side,  it's dilusional, he is part of the overall problem just like many of the younger players i.e delph and albrighton just not good enough and never will be.

[Risso]

To Paul Lambert

You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!

How has he done well?  Half of the rubbish has been bought by him.

[Clampy]

Two things worry me most, the first is the energy and closing down of the opposition has disappeared we are playing the ball sideways and backwards rarely forward, the second is posters who keep calling for Bannon to be in the side,  it's dilusional,

The energy and closing down of the side you talk about, that mainly happened in the games against Newcastle and Swansea and Bannan played in both those games so it's not dillusional for some fans to want him back in the side. It's obviously not working with the midfield he's picking now. 

[claret and blue blood]

I thought Norwich were poor to be honest and I was quite confident we would go on to win until Bennett got himself sent off.That's not to say I thought we were good , they just didn't look a threat. What did surprise me was the team selection, as previous posters have said most of the bench should have been playing from the off.It was a shame Nzog was injured as we badly need some creativity and he provides that by accident more than design purely by running towards the goal as opposed to sideways and backwards.
The worry is Lambert seems to be gambling with his lineup and substitutions when we don't have the time .Yesterday was the first time as I left the ground that I questioned him , he seems very stubborn with his opinions of players a trait that frustrated me with O'Neil but we don't have the luxory of the Barry's Larsen's to pull us through. A settled lineup needs to be found  and quickly.   

[olaftab]

Id set the team up something like
--------------Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett
----------Herd, Ireland--------
Nzogbia----------------Gabby
             Bent, Benteke

That midfield looks terrifying ...for us not the opposition.