Aston Villa v Manchester United Post-Match Thread

[mrfuse]

Only Just recovered enough to watch motd stopped after the villa goals couldn't bear to watch Manure after that, lucky bastards.Still gutted about about Hernandez's first goal the minute it got stuck under his feet but managed to roll back into a shooting opportunity... I knew we would lose.

I'm glad Benteke is proving me right about not playing Bent, he was immense.

 

[tomd2103]

Agree completely re January Paulie. A really top midfield player, and creative winger come forward would be nice, but some experience is vital. I think the most disappointing thing about this season for me has been the form of KEA who I think has really struggled with the pace of the league.

If we stick with the same formation, I agree that adding quality players in those positions in January would make a big difference.  I still think that some experienced full-back cover might also be useful even if it's only on loan.

As for KEA, I heard an ex-pro talking on the radio earlier in the week about the need to move the ball to quickly when in possession.  I thought there was a noticeable difference today in the speed Westwood and Bannan moved the ball compared to KEA and Delph when they came on.  I thought the latter two moved the ball a lot slower and took too many touches at times.   

[tomd2103]

Aside from that, we look a much better team playing 4-3-3 than the 4-4-2 diamond. Maybe a significant turning point has been negotiated.

Good point Steve.  I think Lambert has now got a formation that suits the players we have and one which we look comfortable in.  I didn't think we ever looked comfortable in the diamond formation and finding a formation which does work could well be the turning point you mentioned.

[eamonn]

Finally tracked down a pub in central London showing the game. Seriously, I'm finding it hard to get my head round a tv with sport on not being in every boozer as is the case in Ireland.

Anyway, after our second goal I turned to the Villa fan beside me and said it was no time to be counting our chickens. At 2-1 I thought how useful Dunne's experience at the back would be right now. We were letting United come on to us into shooting positions, Rooney and Van Persie's double woodwork efforts serving warning. Annoyingly, we actually were doing the more difficult defending very well - time and time again Vlaar and Clark read United's through balls down the side of the box spot-on. So the goals we gave away were really hard to stomach.

On a positive note, I was so impressed by the Beast. Fuck me, never mind his forebearers - he'd have Heskey for breakfast and shit Baptiste out after dinner. United did not know how to handle him. Fucking Ferdinand fouling him and going ballistic at the decision going against him was a pleasant sight. Smalling being totally "pwned" for the goal even moreso. Christian was a magnet and his deft lay-offs and retention of possession were arguably more impressive. What a player he could be. Weimann I thought was really struggling to get into the game before his goal. What a bloody strike though. The lad can finish, has guile and plenty of spirit about him. Very hard not to take to the player. That first goal kind of reminded me of Gabby's insurance goal against Chelsea at VP in '07 after Young's cross. Y'know, when Doug proffered his hand to Roman. Strikes me that there's not much that separates us from MON's side of yore except that he had a settled, stronger defence. I think we have more flexibility going forward now though and we will gradually become more than an errant, exciting counter-attacking team.

Encouraging and predictable, ultimately. But there's more hope for the short and medium term now than there was a few hours ago and that will do me for now.

[Drummond]

Bloody outstanding performance by us.

I just wish A. Young had played much better.

[PeterWithesShin]

A Young Did Play Well. A Young Villa Striker Called Benteke Was Excellent.

[*shellac*]

One word, gutted.

[supertom]

How many times can Utd do this shit to us? Basfuckingtards.
Delighted for Weimann though, think the front three of him with Benteke and Gabby is a great mix, it has it all. Bents got his work cut out getting back into the side when he's back fit.

[1_Pablo_Angel]

Felt for the stewards tonight. Whoever took the decision to put the game on general sale should be sacked. I'd rather have a half empty stadium than be sat with the number of horrible c*nts that were in the upper North yesterday.

[1_Pablo_Angel]

If we had been told we would lose 3-2 before the game we would have taken that end of ....
 

Speak for yourself! What kind of idiot would 'take' a defeat before a ball is kicked? I know they're a good side, but with that attitude we might as well give up.

[ozzjim]

I thought the free kick for their 3rd was more the fault of KEA than Benteke, but will have to watch it again.

[Matt Collins]

Benteke tried a first time lay off into midfield which was stupid. He should have took it down and held onto it. Then KEA gave away a silly foul.

Surprised to see some comments that Westwood struggled to influence the game. I thought he did a fine protecting job for an hour, and he had a 93% pass completion rate. Looks a better bet than KEA to me, while Bannan normally creates a couple of great chances every match so deserves his place.

I hope we don't end up wasting that performance. That would have undoubtedly brought a win against Arsenal in a couple of weeks for example.

[Chipsticks]

Really like this picture.

[brian green]

After a night's sleep that defeat still hurts as much as ever.   How many times have you seen us lose games after the 70th minute substitutions?  There was still running in the legs of the players he took off especially Andreas but both Holman and KEA did not look mentally up to speed.   If you are going to play Holman you have to start with him because his one very big asset is his engine not his pace.   His tackling is not particularly good and his passing is Cuellar standard.   As for KEA he seems to have the transparent weakness of always being jockeyed out of position by his opponent.   He manages to get behind his man or screened from the ball and unable to win possession so he spends much of the time on the pitch running just behind the shoulders of opponents.   He also seem to be Downingesque in not liking to get hurt.   I can see him going down the same road as Makoun.

[olaftab]

I think you need to consider how big a game it was for his first Premier League start. He didn't look to out of place and made a few brave runs. Out of him and Bennett I'm not sure who I'd play.

I think Bennett will turn out to be better then Stevens.