Aston Villa v Arsenal Post-Match Thread

[Irish villain]

Rumours MON has resigned!

[exigo]

We look so much better in midfield without Ireland giving the ball away and waving his arms in frustration. A good point and the season could look very different come this time next week.

[Matt Collins]

I don't know if you'd play Clark and Baker together, as one would have to play on the right of the two. I think Lowton will play there.

I also agree that Enda Stevens is doing pretty well.

[Percy McCarthy]

There has to have been a fall-out with Bent surely? I'm not a massive fan, but if we're ever one down, he's got to be the best option off the bench for us to chase the game in a conventional 4-4-2 with Benteke.

Going on Lambert's signings, a promising future is waiting for us if we can just battle through this season.

[tremzvillain]

Thought we outplayed and out muscled them. Solid performance, shame we didn't really have the cutting edge to win it.

[Lizz]

Thought the Arsenal fans were good in their 19th minute support. Would have taken a draw beforehand.

[onje_villa]

Have to say that the future looks bright. Lambert has spent tremendously well you have to say. No world beaters but they all look like excellent, value for money long-term prospects. Epitomised by the likes of Westwood and Lowton.

We have to hope we'll get enough points this season to stay clear of the drop but if we do, you'd have to think this young team is going to improve massively.

On a side note, perhaps Lambert thinks Bent and Ireland with their star status are actually doing more harm than good?

Not saying that's definitely the case but it's a possibility.
If Lambert can get 10-15 million for Bent and he's allowed to spend it, I think he'll unearth some more terrific players and strengthen us.

Also agree that Enda did great, for someone who's supposedly hopeless, he was pretty damn steady for us.

[pbavfckuwait]

Not a big fan of Gabby but thought he was man of the match worked his socks off and stopped more than what he started Westwood very good but missed creativity , why the row with Bent would have offered nothing today

[johnny from donny]

you certainly get the feeling that there is a plan which has not been the case over the last couple of seasons.  I still think we will finish around 12th but the next six weeks will have a huge bearing on how nervous  we all are come april.

[The Situation]

Another good performance by a team who was in the relegation zone but didn't play like that.

Hard working, tried to play football with some good passing, closing down their players at every chance and limited an Arsenal offense to not much action in front of goal.

OK we didn't get the win but I'm encouraged and pleased in what I saw from a team that started in the bottom 3 where there was energy and creating chances. From what I witnessed I thought we gave arsenal a tougher game than compared to norwich who got a lucky win.

I got a bit nervous with 5 minutes to go with all the goals conceded in the second half this season so good job seeing the game out till the end.

[Monty]

We lack that final burst in the the last third. Bannan and Westwood were very good at finding players in space, yet they seemed unable to make a quick enough decision to do anything proactive.

Overall good, though. Thought Clark seemed to come of age when Vlaar went off - seemed to marshal what was then his back line very well. Having said that, you'd hope Big Ron will be back soon. Out of the dreaded Zone with those three games behind us, which is decent.
 
I think Lambert has hit upon a pretty good formula with pretty bad timing. This is the team and style which has been going since Sunderland - and you can tell he has confidence in it as he didn't ditch it after the City drubbing - but it has four points from four games as three of those were tough. If we stick with this 4-3-3 when we play the lesser lights I don't just think we'll win games, I think we might give someone an unsuspected battering.

[Matt Collins]

The next three games are massive, because after that we've got Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs . . .

I hope the players don't feel the pressure too much. We really could do with 7 points from the next three games. But with injuries at the back, a tiring performance today bound to take it out of young players, I've got a nasty feeling Reading is going to be an underwhelming game. I hope we can nick a win.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

There has to have been a fall-out with Bent surely? I'm not a massive fan, but if we're ever one down, he's got to be the best option off the bench for us to chase the game in a conventional 4-4-2 with Benteke.

In the post-match interview with Lowton, he talked about the team spirit at Villa, and how there was no room for individuals. Looks fairly terminal for Bent unless I read that wrong. Bit sad about that, but I'm not the manager (luckily for us).

[paulcomben]

Rumours MON has resigned!

On ESPN. Makes a decent night excellent. Ukraine job still going? Or Scotland?

[ozzjim]

I think long term tricky, creative options with goals in them either side of Benteke will be bought to compete with Gabby and Weiman. Options up front are thin if you think of it as a 3 up front.